Should Women Have the Right to Abortion Essay Example

crisis pregnancy. The article by Chao-Ju presents the argument that it is essential to give women the freedom to control their fertility and not to be reduced to the biological purpose of child bearing only (p.74). Such an issue underrates them and denies them their equality and liberation rights. She further says that the fetus has no independent life without the woman and therefore, she has the right to decide on whether to keep it or not.

There are many reasons which may lead a woman to forgo abortion. Some of these factors include poverty, cases of rape, many children, and health risk just to mention but a few. These reasons may be valid, but women feel that they should not be answerable to anyone. It is hypocritical for some countries not to allow abortion-causing the women to go to perform it from another state. The dilemma associated with it is that it limits those who cannot afford the travelling and the surgery costs, which may lead them to risk their lives by doing it unprofessionally (Chao-Ju, p.74). The world has become too complicated since it is opposed to all forms of forced fertility control. For instance, China limits the number of children that a woman should have, while others oppose the use of contraceptives. Women seek the liberty to choose between not having a baby and have a child where both the mother and the child will not suffer either materially or socially. In such perspectives, the doctors need to get the right information, which is leading the woman. If it is a reason like poverty and financial problems, they should offer an alternative solution.

Greenhouse

& Reva (p. 1430) state that the enacted Casey laws, which restrict abortion, are for protecting both the unborn child and the health of the mother. The laws require those hospitals that will be carrying out the abortions to be converted to ambulatory surgical centers due to the risk of the matter. The greatest concern is the issue of the mother’s health. The law has the right to restrict pregnancy termination if the mother undergoes health complications due to the operations. Some operations carried out by people who are not qualified tend to backfire and can cause death to both the mother and the child. It also gives the go-ahead to carry out the practice if the pregnancy is putting the mother’s life at death risk. Some people criticize abortion restrictions because it undervalues the country’s interest in the potential life of a woman. The authors say that the government may impose rules that restrict a woman from aborting, but it cannot do so by making her suffer for a pregnancy she had not planned. That will be interfering with her freedom and denying her the constitutional rights she is entitled to enjoy as a citizen (Greenhouse & Reva p.1436).

The restriction is limited to the point of the government to protect the potential life through ways that recognize and preserve the woman’s dignity. The reason for retaining the lady’s dignity is because the government cannot protect the unborn life without caring for the mother who is the primary determinant of the life of the fetus. Every woman has the constitutional rights to do what they like with their bodies, so the government has to use

an approach that will not go against her wishes. The Casey laws applied in the Pennsylvanian Abortion Control Act of 1982 protected the state’s interest in potential life in several ways (Greenhouse & Reva p.1439). Some of them include counseling the doctors to give detailed information about the abortion procedure, the risks related to childbirth, fetal development, and the available resource should the woman decline from aborting the child (Greenhouse & Reva p. 1439). The doctor was supposed to wait for twenty-four hours after informing the woman and see how she reacts to the information. The practice helped control the abortion rates from increasing and made the women realize that abortion is not the only solution.

Ross (n. p) states that, as much as the woman has the constitutional rights to enjoy her freedom that should not be a reason to put her life in danger trying to carry out an abortion. The author further argues that if a woman cannot decide when to have children, she is also not able to decide what her destiny is in life. Therefore, the government is right to restrict abortion if that is the best solution they opt. Ross takes a different version to say that the unborn child entirely depend on the mother, and she should be ready to undertake all the consequences. She supposes that the government permits an abortion to be carried out in case the life of the mother is at stake, but many women are going an extra mile to take advantage of that option. She argues that the innocent life of the unborn baby depends on the mother whose life must always take

precedence over her rights even if she will die while giving birth (Ross n. p). However, this is a bit challenging since it is not good to risk two live where one can be saved. One cannot be sure if the fetus will survive so risking the life of the mother to save the fetus is not a decision that can easily be made.

In the late 1960s the Western women’s rights advocates, doctors associations, and other organizations campaigned to be granted the abortion rights they deserve and the removal of the criminal penalties associated with abortion (Ross n. p). They succeeded though their success did not last for long because their opponents brought up a counter-argument to deny them those rights. The litigation challenged the women’s rights advocates by raising issues such as if the states support abortion, they should pay its cost. They also challenged it by saying that if abortion should be legalized, murder should also be legalized (Ross n. p). These and more arguments are some of the controversial surrounding the issue of whether women should have the right to abortion. The case will take time before a concrete solution is reached and at the same time respect the constitutional rights of every citizen. Abortion is unethical and the fact that every person should granted the freedom to decide can be a good platform to realize that we are alive because somebody refused to support it (Pitifer p. 149).
There will always be problems just like there were before and there will arise more in future. Therefore, it is the duty of every person to do what he/she perceives right. It is good

for us as a country to direct our energy and time to things that are more beneficial. The issue of abortion should be a personal matter to decide without involving the government to rule out what is supposed to be right. The society has morals and ethics that guide it and they are the best to direct a person on the best option to take. Before the mother decides what she wants to do with the pregnancy, it is important to visit a professional for consultation and counseling. That may help change someone’s mind and save a life. It could be the mother, or the unborn child. Those who criticize abortion should hesitate and find the reasons surrounding the matter before they point an accusing hand to the victims. The government should also step in the matter and offer better solutions other than legalizing and criticizing. They should offer support to mothers who are not able to support the child. Organizations should educate and enlighten people on the dangers associated with abortion. As an individual, everybody should make a wise decision regarding the matter of abortion.

1. Work Cited
2. BBC. Ethics Guide. Arguments for Abortion. BBC. 2014. Web. Accessed April 27th 2016. http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion/mother/for_1.shtml
3. Chao-Ju, Chen. "Choosing The Right To Choose." Frontiers: A Journal Of Women Studies 34.3 (2013): 73-101. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Apr. 2016.
4. Greenhouse, Linda, and REVA B. SIEGEL. "Casey And The Clinic Closings: When "Protecting Health" Obstructs Choice." Yale Law Journal 125.5 (2016): 1428-1480. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Apr. 2016.
5. Ross, Susan D. Women's Human Rights: The International and Comparative Law Casebook. , 2008. Internet resource.
6. Pitifer, Mark S. Return to Forever. Place of
   

publication not identified: universe Com, 2013. Print.