Should Abortion Be Legal?
By Katie S.
Since Trump was elected as our new president, the topic of abortion has been very controversial. For those who are not aware, abortion is the intentional termination of a human fetus. People that are "pro-life" do not support abortions, believing it is murder, and that it harms the babies in the while in utero. They state unborn babies have a right to a life, like any other individual. I support the opposite position and am "pro-choice." I believe abortion is justifiable. Making abortions available to women will reduce deaths attributed to illegal abortions. Additionally, studies show that fetuses do not feel any pain until the 26th week of their development, Lastly, women have a fundamental right, established by the U.S. Supreme Court in Roe vs Wade, and should have control over their bodies and futures. Giving birth and raising a child is a huge responsibility. One that not all women are ready for.
Without the option to get an abortion from a professional, some women go to extreme measures to end their pregnancy. There have been reports of women hitting themselves in the stomach with a meat pulverizer or a brick. Other reports tell of women spending a night in the snow or taking a scalding hot bath. These methods are
dangerous to both mother and fetus. World-wide, 1 in 10 pregnancies end in an unsafe abortion, which is about 21.6 million women. Likewise, a census from 2008 states more than 47,000 women die from an illegal abortion each year. If abortion was more easily accessible, all of these deaths could be prevented.
In addition, it is proven that abortions do not cause physical harm to the fetuses. Multiple doctors and medical institutes prove this to be true. During the starting weeks of development, a fetus does not yet contain the brain or the nerve capacities to sense pain. Conducting an abortion is in no way harming or hurting the fetus. Some argue that this is false, based on the flinching that occurs when pain in stimulated. These movements are not because the fetus is in pain, instead they respond this way on reflex. There is no reason abortions should be illegal because "fetuses feel pain". Abortions later than 26 weeks into a pregnancy are extremely rare, and usually banned by state laws.
Finally, women should have a choice whether or not they are ready for a baby, for their own good and the welfare of their child. There are many different situations in which a woman shouldn't