Introduction

Despite the fact that abortion has been widely practiced by the whole of mankind since thousands of years before, it is a matter that still evokes deep emotions and debate. The very nature of the process raises the primary question regarding life: What is the true value of human life? Moreover, abortion is directly related to various issues including the right of women to manage their physical state, the responsibility of the law to protect the unborn child, the conflicting ideas of secularism and religion regarding human life, the participation of the father and parents in the decision-making, and the clashing rights of the mother and the unborn child (United Nations, 2001).

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Discussion

In order to attain a better understanding of the issue at hand, it is mandatory to first perceive the correct medical meaning of the word abortion. According to Dr. Dorland, abortion is the premature expulsion from the uterus of the products of conception.

This definition certainly does not specify whether the process is natural or artificial. Hence, it is further divided into two main categories: induced and spontaneous. Spontaneous abortion is defined as “abortion occurring naturally; popularly known as miscarriage”; whereas Induced abortion is defined as “abortion brought on intentionally”, for instance, through deliberate carelessness or abortive medical procedures (Dorland, 2000). This essay observes the moral issues of abortion; hence, it is only concerned with induced abortion.

Today, abortion exists as a topic of widespread controversy due to a number of reasons. Firstly, the rapidly growing liberal attitude towards male-female relationships amongst the youth has given rise to the number of high schools and college girls undergoing an abortion. Secondly, the increasing poor population and illiteracy along with the availability of cheap illegal abortion facilities have greatly raised the opportunities for pregnancy termination.

Another reason for the increased frequency of abortion is the rise in the number of sex crimes. Rape victims are so mentally distraught after the crime that they are unwilling to endure the humiliation brought about by giving birth to an illegitimate child. The resulting increase in abortion by the above-mentioned reasons has certainly erased the value of human life from people’s minds, or rather it has modified their thinking regarding the spiritual aspects of an unborn child. It is this very fact along with the various religious beliefs that created the long-running debate over abortion. As a result, two groups of people emerged; those that forbade abortion, and those that supported it.

People who were in favor of the prohibition of the practice of abortion came to be known as pro-life, while those in favor of granting the right of decision to the woman in question are regarded as pro-choice (Abernethy, 1990). I would call myself neither pro-life nor pro-choice, but take a different approach on this matter. Due to the numerous social and health problems arising from abortion, mentioned below, I take a stand against abortion; but under certain circumstances, I am well supportive of the procedure.

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Throughout the span of this controversy, a lot of research has been done on the pros and cons of abortion. Although abortion may appear as a solution to a lot of problems, it is itself a cause of many complications. One problem that has always accompanied abortion as a major one is the death of patients either during the routine or due to problems arising after the procedure. Research has also revealed that women who have undergone abortions have a higher chance to die from different causes as compared to others. Secondly, the procedure gives rise to a lot of physical problems for the women in question.

In the United States alone, around 140,000 women experience instantaneous hazardous medical conditions after the abortion procedure. It may also give rise to dangerous diseases at a later stage of life. Some of these late-occurring complications include breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, and infertility due to various urogenital disorders. Moreover, abortion also creates emotional stress in many women.

They are found using alcohol and drugs on a regular basis, develop sleep and eating disorders, and experience