English Composition I
ENC-101-GS
06/05/2013
There are several debates in regards to abortion and its legality. Generally there are two sides to the argument. Those on the Pro Life side of the argument believe that abortions should be illegal. Usually Pro Life activists believe abortion is not only murder, but also an immoral act. In contrast, those on the Pro Choice side believe that abortion should be legal. They feel that individuals should have the right to choose what happens with their body. In addition, they argue that abortion is not murder due to the baby not being fully developed.
Pro Life activists feel that abortion should be considered murder. They consider a baby a human as soon as conception occurs. Those against abortion also usually have religious reasons backing their beliefs. They also claim that research proves abortion can lead to complications with future pregnancies and even breast cancer.
Individuals who are Pro Choice have a very different view. They feel that individual’s right to choose what happens with their body is vitally important. Pro Choice activists also feel that abortion needs to be legal because if it is illegal, it will not stop women from having it done, thus leading to more medical complications.
With the debate of abortion, comes the issue of time. If abortions are allowed, what should be the cutoff for when an abortion can be performed? Research indicates that a baby’s heartbeat can be detected as early as 6 weeks following conception. With this in mind, how should the timeline for abortions be determined? In most states, an abortion must be performed by the 14th week of pregnancy. Some states allow abortions up to 24 weeks for special circumstances.
Abortion was once a very dangerous procedure but now it is extremely safe. In 1973 the death risk from abortion was 3.4 deaths per 100,000 women. Before 1973 there were even more deaths as it was an illegal procedure, and...