Table of Contents
Abortion is a controversial topic that has been at the center of public debate for decades. Many different perspectives have been developed on the issue, where pro-choice supporters claim that a woman has a right to decide what happens to her body. In contrast, pro-life campaigners believe that abortion is a form of murder. Abortion, the deliberate ending of unwanted pregnancy, is a difficult topic because it directly impacts human life. The ethics of abortion remains debatable, and the argument around it centers on the ethical question of whether it must be outlawed. The debate is often heated, and both sides are adamant in their beliefs. However, there are several compelling reasons why abortion should be banned.
It Goes Against the Rights to Life
The most compelling moral argument for outlawing abortion is that doing so is inherently immoral since human life starts at conception. Among the most contentious issues in the debate over abortion is deciding when life begins. Apologists for the practice of abortion argue that human rights should not be infringed upon because of the existence of an unborn child (Simkulet, 2021). In-depth research has established that the moment of conception marks the start of a person’s genetic development and, hence, the beginning of their existence (Bukuras, 2022). Abortion is a crime against human existence if one believes in the inherent worth of every human being. As a procedure that strips a person of their potential for a future, it is clear that the act of having an abortion is not qualitatively distinct from any other kind of murder. Killing another person is only acceptable if it is done in self-defense. These exceptional situations might be relevant to the choice to terminate a pregnancy to safeguard the mother’s life and well-being. Abortion must be banned and punishable as severely as the taking of any other human existence if it is to be properly regarded as murder.
It is a Dangerous Procedure for the Women
Abortion harms a woman’s health since it goes against her natural order. Significantly increased risks include ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, and disorders, including pelvic inflammatory illness. One might also experience emotional and mental anguish. The potential for emotional suffering is greatly amplified. This risk to a female’s mental and physical well-being is an adequate ethical argument against abortion (WHO, 2021). In certain countries, the legality of induced abortions means that they cannot be safely performed inside the standard medical system. Due to their illegality, most abortions are obtained in filthy, dangerous settings where the woman is in danger of contracting diseases. In the United States, abortion has greater societal acceptance than in many other countries, but it is still stigmatized. Thus most women get abortions behind closed doors. The woman’s post-procedure healthcare may suffer if she is reluctant to pursue further treatment.
Abortion is not a Contraception Substitute
The argument that a woman’s choice to choose abortion undermines her autonomy overlooks the necessity of taking precautions to reduce the likelihood of unintended pregnancies. These measures of personal freedom are like abstinence and the timely, prudent use of birth control (Littlejohn, 2021). Thus, recognizing the single woman’s duty to her body is insufficient to satisfy feminism’s goals of autonomy. Moreover, their significance to the woman’s body should be grasped before she conceives. Nevertheless, such values are inextricable from the reality that the woman’s body is the sanctuary of life for the community since it carries the unborn child. This is not an insignificant duty in the grand picture of societal values and standards. Limiting a woman’s reproductive possibilities (at least physiologically) is evidence that abortion violates her right to bodily autonomy.
It Causes Pain and Suffering to the Fetus
Abortion advocates frequently cite instances like incest, rape, and the discovery of a genetic abnormality in the unborn child as justifications for the practice. Various aspects of society and criminality serve as the foundation for this viewpoint. They stem from a place where the fetus is not recognized as a fully formed, fully functioning human being. Scientific studies on the consequences of abortion confirm that spinal development occurs early in pregnancy (Thill, 2021). After the first trimester’s conclusion, the baby can respond to pain through a reflex in the spine. The reflex is present before the fourth month, but it does not reach maturity until then. The unborn child is vulnerable to suffering throughout any abortion procedure (Derbyshire & Bockmann, 2020). This line of thinking is linked to the concept that the unborn is a live human being with the capacity for suffering and pain.
Conclusion
Several strong arguments may be made for outlawing abortion. As such, it violates the right to life and other fundamental liberties. Abortion is unique from any other type of killing since it takes away the prospects of a human being. While being murdered in the womb, the unborn child is subjected to unnecessary misery. Moreover, once the fetus is aborted, the repercussions of the abortion continue. The woman may still suffer emotional consequences due to the treatment, and complications like miscarriages may arise later. Lacking contraception and abstinence options, it does not provide women control over their bodies.
- Bukuras, J. (2022, October 20). Experts respond to Biden: Biology and theology agree, human life begins at conception. Catholic News Agency. Retrieved October 22, 2022, from https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250572/experts-respond-to-biden-biology-and-theology-agree-human-life-begins-at-conception
- Derbyshire, S. W., & Bockmann, J. C. (2020, January). Reconsidering fetal pain. Journal of Medical Ethics, 46(1), 3–6. https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2019-105701
- Littlejohn, K. E. (2021, September 17). Why Access to Birth Control Is No Substitute for Abortion Rights. Time. Retrieved October 22, 2022, from https://time.com/6099174/abortion-rights-birth-control/
- Simkulet, W. (2021, October 29). The Moral Significance of Abortion Inconsistency Arguments. Asian Bioethics Review, 14(1), 41–56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41649-021-00189-9
- Thill, B. (2021, December 6). Fetal Pain in the First Trimester. The Linacre Quarterly, 89(1), 73–100. https://doi.org/10.1177/00243639211059245
- WHO. (2021, November 25). Abortion. Retrieved October 22, 2022, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/abortion