Abortion: A Problem In The United States
From 1973 to 2015 the United States of America’s population increased by about 109, 533, 231. In that same amount of time, about 43, 800, 000 abortions took place (Lang). This statistic helps show that abortion has always been a problem, but only recently has became one on a national level with the two sides forming. One side, the Pro-Life one, wants laws that will help protect the fetus. The other side, the Pro-Choice one, supports the belief that abortion should be the choice of the mothers. “Abortion, in its many different forms, is when a pregnancy is ended; therefore, it does not result in the birth of a child (“What is”).” Women seeking an abortion can receive one in many different ways, but not all states allow an abortion to take
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place in all three trimesters. The three trimesters include a total of about forty weeks (“Pregnancy”). The state’s’ laws in the United States vary with their bans on allowing abortions to take place. Twenty states ban abortion after 20 weeks of fetal growth (Institute). The available options include Medical options like MTX and RU-486, and surgical options like MVA, aspiration, and D & E (“Abortion”). Twenty more states ban abortion after the fetus reaches the viability point (Institute). The viability point, which is around 24 weeks, is when the fetus would be able to survive outside of the womb (“What does”). The same options, as the people in the states with a 20 week ban, are still available to them as well. Three states ban abortion in the third trimester (Institute). People can still receive an abortion with the listed ones above, as well as induction abortion (“Abortion”). Some countries also allow a procedure known as D & X or partial birth abortion, but the United States bans this particular type. The remaining seven states currently have no ban on abortion, leaving all options open to people seeking them (Institute). Abortion laws have not always been the way they are now. Many changes have taken place over the centuries. For example, in the 19th century, all abortions were illegal unless a threat to the mother’s life was present. Due to this, many people would find someone willing to do it. These people were not always sanitary, leading to multiple deaths. In the 20th century, abortions were still mostly illegal (Andryszewski). This continued until about 1973, when the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton cases took place. These two cases helped form the present laws of how, when, and under what circumstances an abortion should be allowed to happen (Institute). Since then, the laws have continued to vary from different aspects concerning public funding to approvals and tests before an abortion can occur (Andryszewski). Abortion, as many people may not know, can come with risks for the mother not only in the present, but in the future as well. The severity of the risks varies from woman to woman, a lot depending upon when and how the abortion took place. The medical risks for a woman after an abortion can range from normal to extreme. For example, a woman can experience heavy bleeding, or damage to internal organs, or even death (“Homepage”). Emotional risks vary some, as well. An abortion can lead to relationship problems, or eating disorders, or even suicidal thoughts. The last type of risks that can appear are the long term ones. These are also the most severe. This category includes different forms of cancer, placenta previa (occurs when the baby’s placenta covers the cervix opening and causes bleeding before or during the delivery), and ectopic pregnancy (occurs when a fertilized egg goes into the woman’s tubes and can cause a threat to their lives). Abortions do not only affect the mothers, but other Americans as well.
People from all over experience the ripples of an abortion. When an abortion takes place and a baby is not born, our economy takes a blow. Mothers spend money on their kids for many things ranging from diapers to college textbooks. Another way our economy takes a blow, is that an abortion results in one less baby to grow up and become a future worker and taxpayer (Shaw). Not, only does abortions affect the economy with money problems, but in other aspects as well. For example, to show how abortions affect other Americans as well, here is a personal story from a woman’s friend in the nineteenth century when abortion was illegal. “My friend went to the emergency room at a Catholic hospital, and they refused to take care of her. They just flatly refused. They said she had to have a test to see if she was pregnant, and the results would take a couple of days. They would not touch her because she might be pregnant, and they might disturb the child. She continued to bleed, and they would not take care of her. She was a little skinny woman; she did not have that much blood. Well, she was not pregnant. It turned out she had a tumor. It was an emergency - she had to be operated on immediately (Andryszewski).” Situations like this may not occur as much anymore, but they still contributed to the number of total losses. More than fifty million people’s lives have been lost as a result of abortion (Shaw). Those people could have made a huge impact on our world, but no longer have a chance. As the number of abortions rises, the birthrates drop, leaving less support by the younger generations for the older
generations. “Abortion, in its many different forms, is when a pregnancy is ended; therefore, it does not result in the birth of a child (“What is”). Abortion has been around for ages and continues to be a controversial problem in the United States for many reasons. Many people do not realize that abortion is a choice made by one person who has a chance to not only affect them with a possibility of short and long term risks, but thousands of other Americans as well.
place in all three trimesters. The three trimesters include a total of about forty weeks (“Pregnancy”). The state’s’ laws in the United States vary with their bans on allowing abortions to take place. Twenty states ban abortion after 20 weeks of fetal growth (Institute). The available options include Medical options like MTX and RU-486, and surgical options like MVA, aspiration, and D & E (“Abortion”). Twenty more states ban abortion after the fetus reaches the viability point (Institute). The viability point, which is around 24 weeks, is when the fetus would be able to survive outside of the womb (“What does”). The same options, as the people in the states with a 20 week ban, are still available to them as well. Three states ban abortion in the third trimester (Institute). People can still receive an abortion with the listed ones above, as well as induction abortion (“Abortion”). Some countries also allow a procedure known as D & X or partial birth abortion, but the United States bans this particular type. The remaining seven states currently have no ban on abortion, leaving all options open to people seeking them (Institute). Abortion laws have not always been the way they are now. Many changes have taken place over the centuries. For example, in the 19th century, all abortions were illegal unless a threat to the mother’s life was present. Due to this, many people would find someone willing to do it. These people were not always sanitary, leading to multiple deaths. In the 20th century, abortions were still mostly illegal (Andryszewski). This continued until about 1973, when the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton cases took place. These two cases helped form the present laws of how, when, and under what circumstances an abortion should be allowed to happen (Institute). Since then, the laws have continued to vary from different aspects concerning public funding to approvals and tests before an abortion can occur (Andryszewski). Abortion, as many people may not know, can come with risks for the mother not only in the present, but in the future as well. The severity of the risks varies from woman to woman, a lot depending upon when and how the abortion took place. The medical risks for a woman after an abortion can range from normal to extreme. For example, a woman can experience heavy bleeding, or damage to internal organs, or even death (“Homepage”). Emotional risks vary some, as well. An abortion can lead to relationship problems, or eating disorders, or even suicidal thoughts. The last type of risks that can appear are the long term ones. These are also the most severe. This category includes different forms of cancer, placenta previa (occurs when the baby’s placenta covers the cervix opening and causes bleeding before or during the delivery), and ectopic pregnancy (occurs when a fertilized egg goes into the woman’s tubes and can cause a threat to their lives). Abortions do not only affect the mothers, but other Americans as well.
People from all over experience the ripples of an abortion. When an abortion takes place and a baby is not born, our economy takes a blow. Mothers spend money on their kids for many things ranging from diapers to college textbooks. Another way our economy takes a blow, is that an abortion results in one less baby to grow up and become a future worker and taxpayer (Shaw). Not, only does abortions affect the economy with money problems, but in other aspects as well. For example, to show how abortions affect other Americans as well, here is a personal story from a woman’s friend in the nineteenth century when abortion was illegal. “My friend went to the emergency room at a Catholic hospital, and they refused to take care of her. They just flatly refused. They said she had to have a test to see if she was pregnant, and the results would take a couple of days. They would not touch her because she might be pregnant, and they might disturb the child. She continued to bleed, and they would not take care of her. She was a little skinny woman; she did not have that much blood. Well, she was not pregnant. It turned out she had a tumor. It was an emergency - she had to be operated on immediately (Andryszewski).” Situations like this may not occur as much anymore, but they still contributed to the number of total losses. More than fifty million people’s lives have been lost as a result of abortion (Shaw). Those people could have made a huge impact on our world, but no longer have a chance. As the number of abortions rises, the birthrates drop, leaving less support by the younger generations for the older
generations. “Abortion, in its many different forms, is when a pregnancy is ended; therefore, it does not result in the birth of a child (“What is”). Abortion has been around for ages and continues to be a controversial problem in the United States for many reasons. Many people do not realize that abortion is a choice made by one person who has a chance to not only affect them with a possibility of short and long term risks, but thousands of other Americans as well.