Pro Choice Abortion

A Pro-Choice View of Abortion

The debate over whether abortion should be legal and to what point in the pregnancy it should be allowed has polarized many societies. Many religious preach that at the moment of conception, the new life is human and possesses a soul. Therefore, abortion is murder. Other, less extreme views, suggest the life is not human until there is a recognizable "completion of form." A third view proposes we have an obligation to create a good life for all children already born before we bring more unwanted children into the world.

To say that abortion is never justified is, in my mind, a completely absurd assertion. I believe that every woman who finds herself carrying an unwanted child, should have the right to decide for herself the best course of action. The law, the attitude of society at large, and religious followers will not be by her side raising and supporting that child for the next 21 years. Therefore these should not dictate her choice.

The life of the mother is paramount. If this is in serious danger, then it should be preserved at any cost. Every pregnant woman's life is her own and she should be able to put her body, career, and future wellbeing first. If any of those considerations would be jeopardized by the birth of the baby, then abortion would be justified. There can be no argument about her right to live her life the way she desires.

I acknowledge that life begins at the moment of conception, but this life is in its simplest form, a collection of cells that, at the beginning of the pregnancy hold little resemblance to a living person. Although this collection of cells begin to organize rapidly into the brain, nervous system, circulatory system, muscles, and skeletal structure, the appearance for many weeks is grotesque, not even resembling human form. The point at which I think the life can be considered human is when brain signals can be detected and the fetus has taken on a human appearance. This occurs around 12 weeks. Until this point I do not consider abortion to be the taking of a human life. However after 3 months, abortion, is not justified unless there was a great danger to the mother's life. In fact, this is the point at which the embryo (a swelling) changes its name to be a fetus (meaning young one or offspring).

Believing all abortions are not justified means believing that bringing unwanted children into the world is acceptable,