Essay on Legalization of Abortion

Abortion is one of the contemporary topics in literature. Abortion is the premature termination of a pregnancy before the fetus is grown enough to survive outside the uterus. Most communities allow the practice of abortion for various reasons. In his research about abortion and ethics, Badruddin (1) highlighted that abortion is a contemporary ethical dilemma. Most people debate on whether abortion should be legalized or not. One of the reasons why most communities do not allow the concept of abortion is because of it raises questions about morality. Every community upholds the moral value of respect for human life. It is considered that the unborn child is a living creature, which illegalizes termination of pregnancy. Based on this principle, abortion was first illegalized in countries such as England and Wales (Sheldon 336). According to Weitz (162), most anti-abortion activists humanized the fetus hence painting a bad picture of abortion.

According to Erdman (30), health is also another factor that led to the illegalization of abortion in most countries. Apparently, abortion is a dangerous practice for both the fetus and the mother. During the abortion process, there is a high probability that the fetus would not survive. However, it leaves the life of the woman in the gamble. Erdman discovered that the international human rights law does not support risking of human life in this manner. There is no distinct way to tell whether the woman would survive the abortion. Currently, 68 countries have legalized the practice of abortion. Some of the countries offer strict terms for the practice of abortion. In some of the countries, abortion should follow the examination of a qualified physician. On the other hand, other countries allow their citizens to carry out the practice without any restrictions.

Despite these facts, it is essential to legalize abortion in the modern society. Contemporary nursing practice highly values the ethical aspect of patient autonomy. In this case, it is explicit that the women who carry out an abortion are also patients. It is also essential to grant these individuals their right to autonomy. As long as an individual is in the right state of mind, they have the right to make their own decisions (Erdman 30). After an abortion, the woman is likely to experience various effects. However, this does not justify denying them the right to choose what happens to their bodies. However, Finer & Fine (585) argue that there are different ways the society can influence the decisions of the individuals who contemplate abortion. Abortion specialists must ensure that they give the patients all the details about abortion before they take the final step. The individuals deserve to know the risks, which they might encounter during and after the process. They also deserve to know whether there are other alternatives to the abortion process. Women carry out abortion for different reasons such as financial instability. The community can come out to offer financial and moral support to these individuals with the intention of changing their mind about abortion. The modern society has taken a considerable step to liberalize the rights of individuals in the community. Denying women the right to choose abortion over other alternatives acts as a violation of their rights (Badruddin 1). Legislators must consider this as a priority during the legislation of the laws that illegalize abortion in the society.

The failure to legitimize abortion is likely to increase the number of people who succumb to the process. The main reason why abortion is illegalized is that it threatens the life of the women. However, finer & Fine (585)s research indicates that women would still carry out abortions secretly if they are denied legal channels. However, this forces them to carry out illegal abortions. Illegal abortions are more dangerous than legal abortions since the individuals do not undergo any checkup before the process. In modern abortion institutions, different methods of abortion have been invented. These methods are advanced in a way that they help to reduce the post-operation effects of the abortion process. Due to the variety of the techniques, it is easy for the physicians to determine the methods that are appropriate for use in a particular case. This reduces the threat of fatalities during and after the abortion process. Pregnancies are likely to have different complications. These complications can result in severe effects when an individual carries out an abortion. However, the choice of the appropriate method to terminate the pregnancy can reduce the associated risks. After the legalization of abortion, it would be essential for the involved stakeholders to carry out sensitization campaigns in the community. These campaigns help individuals to have awareness about the process of abortion (Swica 1). Apparently, abortion is already a public debate in most countries. There is no significant reason for societies to keep playing down the realities that surround the issue. The more people speak up about the issue, the more many people without enough knowledge gain an understanding of what they can do about the problem.

Unstable relationships are one of the significant causes of abortion in the modern society. Currently, most people enter uncertain relationships and end up separating even when the woman is pregnant (Erdman 31). In other cases, financial instability also prompts most abortion cases. If a couple is uncertain about their capability to raise the unborn child, they can contemplate abortion. Legalization of abortion would help to avoid unplanned pregnancies and cases of child neglect. Due to the fear of criminal charge associated with abortion, most women give birth to the children and abandon them (Weitz 163). This has increased the number of homeless children on the streets. Currently, it is already difficult to contain the number of homeless children on the streets. Unplanned pregnancies also give rise to unsustainable families. The current economic situation across the world is catastrophic. Currently, most households are unable to sustain their members (Yazdkhasti 13). The continued increase in the number of unplanned pregnancies can escalate the situation globally.

Criminalizing abortion also increases the number of teenage pregnancies. Statistics indicate the most teenagers in the modern world are bound to become pregnant before they finish school. It would be a double disaster if these teenagers would have to end up giving birth to babies. Apparently, it is still their right to choose whether they would want to carry out the abortion, or whether they would prefer to keep the pregnancy. However, there is a possibility that most of the teenage girls will carry out an abortion to continue with school. This would help to secure the future of these children (Badruddin 1).

Apparently, morality is considered as the main reason for the illegalization of abortion. However, it is essential to understand that morality is a personal issue. The aspect of what is right and what is wrong solely depends on an individuals beliefs. Most anti-abortion activists base their arguments on the values of religion. What about the individuals who do not believe in religion? Eventually, it is a matter of choice for an individual to determine his faith. This means that the criminalization of abortion somehow also goes against ethical standards (Weitz 163). Legalization of abortion is also likely to reduce the amount of crime and the expenditure on imprisonment and prosecution. Currently, statistics indicate that most crimes are committed by people who grew up homeless (Donohue III & Levitt 380). Such cases mostly occur when women deliver unwanted pregnancies and abandon the children. The children grow up without families and no one to fend for their basic needs. Eventually, they turn to crime to fulfill their requirements. At the same time, the government uses a lot of resources to handle crime and to sustain rehabilitation centers (Donohue III & Levitt 380). The legalization of abortion can help to prevent these scenarios. Once abortion is legalized, there will be a decrease in the number of children who are born into unsustainable households.

The legalization of abortion continues to be a significant debate in the society. Apparently, there is a group of people who support the legalization of abortion. There are also other people who stand against the practice of abortion in the society. However, the actual responsibility lies on the policymakers. It is the policymakers who determine whether abortion would be practiced in a particular community. It is clear that 68 countries have already passed laws allowing the practice of abortion. However, current evidence implies that legalization of abortion would have many benefits compared to its criminalization. Legalization of abortion also shows respect for human rights and the freedom of women to make decisions on what is done with their bodies.

However, it would be prudent for various measures to be taken to enhance a smooth integration of these policies into the society. Education campaigns would be necessary after the legalization of abortion. Most of the people who stand against the legalization of abortion might not understand ethical standards such as autonomy. Education programs would help these individuals to realize that everyone has individual beliefs and the right to make choices on issues that affect them directly. Education programs would also help the other group to know how to approach the issue of abortion. Education programs would help to teach the people on different methods that can help to avoid such situations. It would also help to educate them about the importance of following standard procedure when going through with the process of abortion.

It is also the task of the society to ensure that specialists are trained to handle abortion cases. Abortion can easily result in complications where the people carrying out the process do not have adequate skills. This measures would help to reduce the number of deaths that occur as a result of poorly performed abortion practices. This would help to regulate the number of people who need to carry out an abortion. It would also ensure that the individuals who want to undergo the procedure receive the best of care and medication.

Works Cited

Badruiddin, Shirin. Abortion and Ethics. Journal of Clinical Research and Bioethics, 2016, 7: 1000291

Donohue III, John, J. & Levitt, S.D. Quarterly Journal of Economics the Impact of Legalized Abortion on Crime. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, May 2001, Vol. CXVI, Issue 2.

Erdman, Joanna, N. Theorizing Time in Abortion Law and Human Rights. Health and Human Rights Journal, 2017, VOLUME 19, NUMBER 1Finer, Louise, and Johanna B. Fine. Abortion Law around the World: Progress and Pushback. American Journal of Public Health 103.4 (2013): 585589. PMC. Web. 19 Oct. 2017.

Sheldon, Sally. The Decriminalization of Abortion: An Argument for Modernization. Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, Volume 36, Issue 2, 1 June 2016, Pages 334365

Swica, Yael. Modern Methods of Abortion. NEJM Journal Watch, 2009.

Weitz, Tracy, and A. Rethinking the Mantra that Abortion Should be Safe, Legal, and Rare. Journal of Women's History, Volume 22, Number 3, fall 2010, pp. 161-172

YAZDKHASTI, Mansureh et al. Unintended Pregnancy and Its Adverse Social and Economic Consequences on Health System: A Narrative Review Article. Iranian Journal of Public Health 44.1 (2015): 1221. Print.