Abortion: a Woman's Choice

Kelda M.
Prof. R. Clarkson
December 3rd, 2012

Abortion: A Woman’s Choice

The controversial debate over abortion laws has been the focus of much political and societal attention over the past century. The term “pro-choice” outlines the belief that a women should have the right to control her own body, and in turn, the right to an induced abortion. The main concern of pro-life supporters is for the health of the unborn fetus in the woman’s womb, regarding it as an individual with rights to life, and that abortion is an extreme violation of these rights. However, this standpoint is extremely flawed. The majority of all abortions take place within the first trimester, while the fetus is attached to the mother through the placenta and umbilical cord, and is completely dependent on her health. At this stage in the pregnancy, a fetus cannot be regarded as an individual entity with rights and reasons. Reflecting the evolving perceptions and moral standards of society, the procedure involving the removal of a fertilized egg from a woman’s cervix has become a topic regarding much social stigma in Western societies. Despite the debate and controversy over this medical treatment, it is crucial that women in contemporary society have access to abortions and the right to choose, specifically because of the imminent dangers in illegal abortion clinics, instances such as rape or incest, and especially the basic human rights that the female population is entitled to. The implications of abortion laws cannot be regarded as insignificant in modern society, and the importance of their abolishment correlates directly with the emotional, physical, and psychological well being of would-be mothers.
Throughout history and in many different cultures, women have assisted each other in the process of abortion. Until the late 1800s, female healers performed the medical procedure, without any laws against the practice in North America or Europe. Abortion in Western society and European countries was not prohibited by law until the 19th century, however the revolution of women’s rights was emerging into the public, and even radical abortionists were rarely prosecuted for their beliefs. At this point in time, abortions were often performed in dangerous environments that posed as an increased risk for the patient. However, in the several countries that have since legalized abortion, trained and certified doctors perform the procedure, in a safe and secure atmosphere provided for women receiving the treatment. According to statistics provided by the World Health Organization, it is estimated that one woman dies every seven minutes around the world due to unsafe illegal abortions. In contrast to this startling figure, less that 0.3% of patients who receive abortions experience a complication that results in hospitalization (WHO). Furthermore, the procedure of a safe, medical abortion is not harmful to the health of a woman, nor does it decrease her chances of having a child in the future. Though the risks associated with receiving the procedure after the first trimester is slightly higher (but still virtually insignificant), the legality of abortion and the ability to access this resource is crucial to the health of a woman, no matter where she lives. The act of an unsafe and illegal abortion is the leading cause of maternal death (WHO). This is because such procedures are performed by unqualified “health providers”, who are unskilled in their field and do not provide a safe and hygienic medicinal environment, creating an increased susceptibility for disease in the patient. Additionally, self-induced abortions are extremely dangerous to perform, yet are attempted by women as a last-ditch effort to rid themselves of an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy, in cultures and societies that prohibit abortion, or place extremely negative stigma on the choice to abort. It would be a rare occurrence to meet a woman who has no opinion on the topic of abortion, and its legality has been the focus of much debate between pro-life and pro-choice groups. The act of abortion is not only an emotional trigger, but also has been the object of much controversy in regards to societal values and political groups. A significant number of unsafe abortions are undergone by adolescents or young women who are more likely to be uneducated on how to raise a child, and who would be more likely to receive negative attention or shame because of their situation. Though instances of unsafe abortions are significantly less common in Western societies than in developing counties that prohibit abortions, there are still occurrences in which young women, specifically adolescents, blatantly underestimate the risks of self-induced abortions. These women attempt to solve their problems themselves, in order to evade possible negative attention from peers and/or family members. Besides the social stigma surrounding its existence, unsafe abortions may still be sought out by women because of the high costs associated with medical abortions, especially in countries without publicly funded healthcare. Additionally, lack of sufficient medical equipment and/or healthcare providers in their area, and sometimes even their lack of suitable characteristics that prove them eligible for the procedure, including incidents of rape, incest, or medical issues often pose as barriers to safe abortions. The idea that enacting laws against abortion will prevent it from happening is ridiculous. 43% of abortions worldwide are illegal (WHO), and there is concrete statistical evidence that these laws against the procedure are bent and broken by millions of women who feel that it is their only option in terms of terminating a pregnancy. Prohibiting women from having the right to choose to have an abortion does nothing, except endanger the lives of women who do not have access to safe and secure facilities to provide them with adequate medical treatment.
In response to the rising occurrences of rape and incest in contemporary society, several studies have been conducted to analyze repercussions of the trauma. Both sexually transmitted diseases and psychological symptoms to the victims of the assault are crucial implications, but the myth that rape does not lead to pregnancy has warranted much debate and controversy in modern society. For years, conservative politicians have claimed that women are unable to get pregnant as a result of “legitimate rape”, because of a biological “barrier” to unfamiliar fertilization. However, a study performed by Jonathan and Tiffani Gottschall, two professors at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY, used data from the federally administered National Violence Against Women survey to illustrate the actual risks of pregnancy as a result of rape or sexual assault. They hypothesized that “per-incident rape pregnancy rates exceed per-incident consensual pregnancy rates by a sizeable margin” (Gottschall 2). Adjusting to factors such as contraception during the time of rape, it was estimated that victims of rape are twice as likely to become pregnant. Their explanations as to why the risk is increased so severely is composed of several factors, including the common theory that rapists tend to target victims that possess specific “biological cues of high fecundity”, as opposed to victims of opportunity. This is reflected in common crime demographics, as young women at what society construes as “peak fertility” are most commonly chosen as victims of sexual assault or violence (Linden 219). As Statistics Canada survey results show, one in every 17 Canadian women will be raped or have rape attempted on them at some point in her life. With such evidence as the Gottschall’s study, combined with the increased risks of sexual assault all over the world, laws that prohibit abortion only serve as an additional stressor to the victim of the assault. In earlier years, specifically the beginning of the 19th century, abortion was strictly outlawed, and led to many unsafe abortions, as discussed previously. After laws regarding abortion became more lenient in Western society, research has been done in order to analyze the contrasting perspectives regarding the issue of abortion. The additional and monumental stress of physically carrying around the memory of such a traumatic assault has proven to result in severe psychological stress, depression, and feelings of shame and guilt, often towards the unborn fetus. Though many women endure the emotional and physical pain of keeping the baby for their own personal reasons or views, the inevitable psychological, emotional, and sometimes physical damage to the woman results in the victim’s child being put up for adoption. Psychological damage to the victim may include feelings of remorse and bitterness towards the unborn fetus, depression, and feelings of self-worthlessness. The trauma of such an extreme intrusion of safety and security is permanently ingrained in their memory. If pregnancy becomes a result of an incident regarding rape or incest, women should absolutely have the choice to terminate her pregnancy, and not have to endure further psychological distress at the expense of abortion laws in her region. Progressive traumatic symptoms of this nature can sometimes lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, a severe anxiety disorder common in soldiers after returning from duty. For women in developing countries, having been raped or assaulted by a family member are the only circumstances under which women may receive a medical abortion to terminate the pregnancy. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that every citizen has the right to safety and security of their person, regardless of gender, race, religion, or other such qualities. This would indicate to those who believe in the pro-choice movement that women, even in cultures that view the medical procedure as wrong, should have access to abortion and the freedom to make the right choice concerning her own well being. Not only do rape and incest lead to pregnancy, and in turn, detrimental psychological effects, but sexually transmitted diseases are also a crucial aspect of this argument against abortion laws. It is also a factor that not only affects the victim of the assault, but the unborn fetus as well. Either because of lack of information, or the attention dealing with the trauma of rape or incest, many women who have been assaulted do not realize they are pregnant until much later, usually their second trimester. In many cases, funding for an abortion may be unattainable at this point, or abortion is outlawed in their area, creating further psychological trauma for the female victim. In the case of sexually transmitted diseases and infections, the possibility of passing on an ailment to an unborn child is horrifying. According to Suicide.com, about 33% of rape victims have experiences significant suicidal thought, with 13% of victims attempting to complete the act, even after many years after the initial assault. Increasing the possibility of both pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, the number of suicide attempts would arguably increase. UNICEF statistics state that more than 90% of all HIV infections in infants are passed on from their mothers. Both women who have previously contracted sexually transmitted diseases and who have developed the disease as a result of rape should have the option to terminate their pregnancy, for both the health of the mother and the unborn fetus, lest it be born into a world with an immediate life-threatening illness. Exceptions to the law against abortions regarding instances such as rape or incest, and severe medical ailments that threaten the health of mother and unborn child, have been made in developing countries that traditionally view abortion as sinful or wrong, and this can be positively viewed as progressive. However, with respect to a woman’s right as a human being and her right to safety, security, and freedom, laws against abortion are not only detrimental and dangerous to the female population, but they emotionally and legally strip women of their basic human rights.
Pro-choice feminism views the right to an abortion as integral to a woman’s right to sovereignty. Without the right to a medical abortion, women face a variety of consequences. Young women, admittedly ill fitted for motherhood, are thrust into being parents because of religious values, social stigmatism regarding the act of abortion as murder, and barriers to safe medical treatment. As contemporary gender roles continue to change, there is hope for a more lenient universal law regarding abortion. Many feminist groups that support the pro-choice movement have also argued that once a woman becomes a mother, her resources regarding employment, education, and health care are limited. As gender-stereotypical as the argument sounds, it is undeniably true. Women who become mothers at a young age are suddenly presented with an entirely different and new life to care for. The question that all perspective women ask themselves before seeking out an abortion is if they are emotionally, economically, and physically prepared for the responsibility of an innocent and vulnerable human being in their care. If the answer to that question is negative, then the option of abortion is alternative to the nine months of stress or anxiety that may occur as a result of an unplanned pregnancy. Though adoption is a substitute, it requires much more time. With the high numbers of children that remain parentless in orphanages all over the world, to bring another child into the world only to leave them to be adopted by someone does not seem to be a solution. From a feminist point of view, society and the law have no right to infringe upon the rights of a citizen, much less of a woman or her unborn child. A fetus is an unconscious being with no thought process whatsoever, and through the eyes of a pro-life supporter, that unborn fetus has rights equal or superior to a woman’s. This ideology is passive towards women, and abandons our contemporary role as an equal sex. The legalization of medical abortions within Western society and Europe has given women and political groups a new conflict to debate, regarding whether or not abortion is considered murder, or if it is a choice based on a women’s right to her own personal well-being. The opinion that abortion is morally wrong and a consequence of having sex is an extremely spiteful viewpoint to have. Forcing a baby to be born into a negative and possibly even neglecting environment is the ultimate form of child abuse. Abortion, under what society may construe as “less than necessary” circumstances, is extremely stigmatized by society, regarding women who support abortion as selfish, and patronizing the conflict that every woman experiences while contemplating an abortion. The desire to have sexual intercourse is a primal urge and drive for both genders, one that spawned during our first interactions with the opposite sex. As American activist and civil rights advocate Florynce R. Kennedy stated on the issue, “If men could get pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament.”
In terms of the development in abortion laws over the past century, it can be said with certainty that our contemporary perceptions have positively evolved, especially in Western societies. Not without extreme embroilment from political, feminist, and cultural groups, prohibitions against abortion have arguably become more lenient with time. The pro-choice outlook does not promote abortions and the termination of pregnancy, it purely supports a woman’s right to choose whether or not she is fit to become a mother. Crucial repercussions of abortion laws include unsafe abortions performed by inadequate medical practitioners, psychological damage due to rape or incest leading to pregnancy, and an exhortation of women’s basic human rights. Without opening up several new cans of worms in terms of debate, absence of publicly funded healthcare, cultural and religious restrictions, and insufficient access to contraceptives and clinics in many populations are all detrimental factors that contribute to the harmful effect of abortion laws. Looking into the future, as pro-choice feminist groups continue to advocate the importance of women’s safety and well-being, our society will educate themselves on the advantages to the pro-choice cause, regarding the choice to an abortion as a step forward of the equality of women. The importance of the abolishment of laws against abortion and how they infringe upon women’s rights can be encapsulated within a popular feminist pro-choice expression towards the topic: If you can’t trust me with a choice, how can you trust me with a child?