Ethical Implications of Abortion
Abortion has and continues to be a controversial topic. Most would argue that every woman should have the right to terminate a pregnancy for whatever reason, because her body and the fetus are one entity. Since termination of a pregnancy or abortion is the status quo within society, most would agree with this consensus. I, however, without properly acknowledging the rights of all the parties involved with abortion (the fetus and father), I do not believe it should be used so freely within society.
Since the historic case of Roe v. Wade in 1973, abortion has been the accepted standard within society. With this historic judgment, women within this country are legally able to obtain an abortion up to a certain point during their pregnancy. Most believe that “a pregnant woman and her fetus should never be regarded as separate, independent, and even adversarial, entities” (ACLU, 1996, p.1). But with men gaining an increased roll in child rearing and with medical advancements, the rights of the men and fetus should be considered before abortion is ever considered an option.
There is a long and complicated history that goes hand in hand with abortion. The action of performing abortions can be traced back to the early American colonies. Although many religions forbade or even restricted the practice, abortion was not considered illegal in most countries until the 19th century (Boston Women's Health Book Collective, 2005, p.1). Even though abortions became outlawed in the United States, it did not stop women from getting abortions illegally. “By 1965, all fifty states banned abortion, with some exceptions which varied by state: to save the life of the mother, in cases of rape or incest, or if the fetus was deformed” (Boston Women's Health Book Collective, 2005, p.1). Many women worked daily in an effort to have abortion legally available to women. The landmark court case that made an impact for women’s rights on the topic of abortion is Roe v. Wade, one of the most
Since the historic case of Roe v. Wade in 1973, abortion has been the accepted standard within society. With this historic judgment, women within this country are legally able to obtain an abortion up to a certain point during their pregnancy. Most believe that “a pregnant woman and her fetus should never be regarded as separate, independent, and even adversarial, entities” (ACLU, 1996, p.1). But with men gaining an increased roll in child rearing and with medical advancements, the rights of the men and fetus should be considered before abortion is ever considered an option.
There is a long and complicated history that goes hand in hand with abortion. The action of performing abortions can be traced back to the early American colonies. Although many religions forbade or even restricted the practice, abortion was not considered illegal in most countries until the 19th century (Boston Women's Health Book Collective, 2005, p.1). Even though abortions became outlawed in the United States, it did not stop women from getting abortions illegally. “By 1965, all fifty states banned abortion, with some exceptions which varied by state: to save the life of the mother, in cases of rape or incest, or if the fetus was deformed” (Boston Women's Health Book Collective, 2005, p.1). Many women worked daily in an effort to have abortion legally available to women. The landmark court case that made an impact for women’s rights on the topic of abortion is Roe v. Wade, one of the most
References: American Civil Liberties Union. (1996, July 31). What 's Wrong with Fetal Rights? Retrieved from http://www.aclu.org/reproductive-freedom/whats-wrong-fetal-rights. Boston Women 's Health Book Collective. (2005). History of Abortion in the U.S. Retrieved from http://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/book/excerpt.asp?id=27. Coyle, C.T. (2007). Men and Abortion: A Review of Empirical Reports Concerning the Impact of Abortion on Men. Internet Journal of Mental Health; 2007, 3(2). 1-3. Hallden, B. & Christensson, K. (2010). Swedish Young Men’s Lived Experiences of a Girlfriend’s Early Induced Abortion Kissling, F. (2004). Is there life after Roe?. Retrieved from http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/conscience/archives/c2004win_lifeafterroe.asphttp://www.catholicsforchoice.org/conscience/archives/c2004win_lifeafterroe.asp. Lemos, A. (2007). What’s So Bad About Abortion?. Human Life Foundation, Inc. 43-45. Lenow, J.L.( 2007) Naziri, D. (2007). Man’s Involvement in the Experience of Abortion and the Dynamics of the Couple’s Relationship: A Clinical Study Solomon, R.C. (2003). The Big Questions. 7th ed. Belmont: Holly J. Allen.