Abortion: The Horrible Killing of Innocent Children
Naomi Kilpatrick
Northwestern State University
Abortion: The Horrible Killing of Innocent Children
"When a bystander can see a fetus flinching at the moment of intentional killing, there is no to close to infanticide about it, it is infanticide."(Williams 2002). Abortion has been a controversial issue, ever since it was first legalized. This paper will explore the different viewpoints of abortion, how abortion is performed, what makes it wrong, and the options a woman has other than abortion. The definition of abortion is when a pregnancy is ended before the time of birth. The definition of miscarriage is when the fetus is aborted naturally. Induced abortion occurs, when deliberate steps are taken to the end of the pregnancy. Medical abortion, which ends the pregnancy with drugs, and surgical abortion, which empties the uterus with instruments, are the two types of induced abortions (Durrett 2000). Medical abortion can be used to end a pregnancy in the first seven weeks of the pregnancy. Methotrexate or Milfepristone are the two drugs that can be used to induce a medical abortion. A methotrexate injection stops the division of fetal cells and the growth of the embryo. Mifepristone (RU-486) the abortion pill blocks the hormone progesterone that is necessary for the pregnancy to continue. After either drug takes effect, the pregnancy ends. Then Misoprostol is inserted into the vagina, causing the uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy. This occurs a few days after the administration of the drug. This process can take anywhere from three days to four weeks (Durrett 2000).
Surgical abortion can be preformed during all three trimesters of pregnancy. Suction aspiration is the most common method of ending pregnancy in the first trimester The cervix is numbed with local anesthetic. The cervix opening is then dilated, allowing
References: Durrett, D. (2000). The Abortion Conflict: A Pro/Con Issue. New York: Enslow Publishers. Williams, M. (2002). Abortion: Opposing Viewpoints. New York: Greenhaven Press.