Arguments In Favor Of Abortion

The right to obtain abortions has been a debated topic since the 1800s. It has been the subject of intense Supreme Court litigation and is publically debated during presidential elections. Abortion is defined as ending a pregnancy by removing a fetus from the uterus (“Abortion”). Abortion is also controversial because those who take a stance may have cultural and religious influences. There are many activist groups that argue pro-choice or pro-life. Pro-Life followers argue abortions should be prohibited or have major restrictions if allowed. On the other hand, pro-choice believers argue that women have reproductive rights and it is their free choice on whether they wish to remain pregnant or terminate it (“Abortion, Debate”). There are numerous reasons as to why a woman may choose to end a pregnancy. Women may wish to obtain an abortion because of an unintended pregnancy, young age, social pressure, inability to care for a child, preventing birth defects, protecting the health of the mother, or even to prevent an unwanted pregnancy resulting from a rape. Whatever reason a woman may choose to terminate a pregnancy, they have the fundamental right to do so because a woman’s privacy is protected due to the US Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade
A fetus is considered a human once it reaches viability, fetal viability is the ability of a baby to live successfully outside of the mother's womb if born prematurely. A fetus is considered viable between the twenty-third and twenty-fourth week of pregnancy. A person's age is not calculated from the date of conception, and unfortunately fetuses still developing in the womb are not counted as part of the US Census (“what”) According to the landmark case, Roe v. Wade, when the Fourteenth Amendment refers to a “person” this reference is not encompassing unborn children