Abortion has been a controversial topic

Abortion: A Sensitive and Controversial Subject

Abortion has been a sensitive subject of controversy for diverse communities all over the world. Abortion is the intentional termination of a pregnancy by the surgical destruction of a human embryo or fetus (Castro & Stray, 2016). Abortion has a wide range of world beliefs that are held and accepted by people from many backgrounds and communities. People tend to take various approaches to the topic, including legal and moral positions. Abortion is permissible based on the conditions and position of the individual who is bearing the alleged pregnancy.

The Burden on Women

In several cases, the question of abortion's acceptability and unacceptability is relative. Many people both men and women have showcased their diverse views as to why they support either of the views appertaining abortion. Some have taken the moral aspect, ethical view, church, human rights activists state that every person has the right to life, while others are against the acceptability of abortion. Women tend to bear the burden that comes with question of abortion. They are faced with dilemmas as to whether to accept, support or defend against abortion.

The Role of Women in the Abortion Debate

Women are generally the ones who are at the center of this discussion due to the fact that they have the sole capability of carrying a pregnancy, limiting men and what they can do about the issue. The monopoly women enjoy in this issue has also become a curse because men tend to play victims as a result of naturally not being able to carry a pregnancy. The woman as part of a committed couple pact is obligated to share and consult the other half on the way forward appertaining pregnancy issues. In as much as women have this role and obligation to fulfill, the final decision still lies on her, on whether to keep the baby or terminate the pregnancy.

Abortion and Women's Autonomy

The topic of abortion focuses on women majorly. Since it is the woman who is at the center stage of all the debate in relation to abortion, and it is she who carries a pregnancy thus takes up all the risks that come with it. She needs to be the one to decide whether to carry to term the pregnancy or terminate it. Men too have a right but they do not have control of what appertains to carry a pregnancy to term and at the end of it give birth as well as taking care of the baby afterwards.

The Woman's Choice and Medical Considerations

There is no assurity of any kind be it medical that keeping a pregnancy up to term would be a smooth journey because it entails a lot, regarding the anatomy of a woman (White et al., 2016). In a medical set-up, only the patient has the final say when it comes to medical procedures they want to be carried out on their bodies despite their genders. This also applies to the case of keeping or terminating a pregnancy, because it is the woman’s body in use when it comes to keeping a pregnancy.

Gender Perspectives and Abortion

In as much as some people view the woman as the one with the final say of what they want to do with their bodies, others do not concur and support the view. This is because they were given the mandate by nature to be able to carry a pregnancy, so locking out men from the discussion would be unfair especially in the case of a married couple (Saad, 2013). Some argue on this basis that the right to procure an abortion should not be gender based, that is all rights reserved for women thus locking out men. There is always a dilemma when it comes to abortion especially when a complication comes up. The acceptability of abortion is relative depending of the health of both the fetus and pregnant woman.

The Religious Perspective

When looking at the religious perspective, abortion is unacceptable, as human life is perceived sacred thus the Supreme Being who is God has the final say when it comes to the beginning and end of a life (Castro & Stray, 2016). No person has the right to take any life, in this case the woman, man or medic. Several examples have been attached from the bible as to why it is unacceptable, the Ten Commandments do have a clause, the fifth commandment states “you shall not kill”. This prohibition forbids the deliberate murder of an innocent person in this case the fetus, because it has life thus innocent before God. In this sense this law is universally valid, thus preserves the dignity of human beings.

Support for Women's Autonomy

There are liberal ways of looking at this issue, with regard to the pregnant woman, she is at risk of death thus making it her call to determine whether to keep or terminate it. Many a times the society or community beliefs and sentiments dictate the direction a woman’s life should take, without considering what her take is about the issue at hand. Limiting her choices and freedom of choice.

Acceptance of Abortion in Different Circumstances

Different societies give diverse reasons as to why they support or do not support the act of abortion. The complete ban or partial permitting of abortion in communities is fueled by circumstances. The allowance or acceptance of abortion can be due to a health complication that puts the mother’s life at risk this includes the mental health of the pregnant woman (White et al., 2016). In some instances, pregnancies that have resulted after acts of crimes for example rape cases, incest are also permitted to be terminated. Looking at the quality of life the unborn child would lead also gives leeway for it to be terminated, for instance, genetic imbalance, mental defects that would make the child’s survival more stressful. Other societies permit termination as per social reasons of the mother, for instance, poverty as well as issues of difficulty in coping with a child in the sense that the mother is too young to fathom what child bearing and raising one is.

The Role of Governments and Gender Preferences

To some point some governments take advantage of the act of termination of pregnancy thus legalize it for their own benefit. They go ahead to give reasons for or against abortion. The circumstances that abortion is acceptable is when the aim is to control or regulate the population size of a certain community. Improve the quality of individuals in a population, thus weeding out the ones with a probable unwanted disorder such as disabilities. With no regard to the consequences some of the governments make abortion acceptable as an option of birth control. In many cases, pregnant women have sued hospitals and doctors over failed methods of contraception, which is why doctors are supportive of such views to be included in the contraception policy giving women the liberty to terminate unwanted and unplanned pregnancies as a result of failed family planning (White et al., 2016). The acceptance of abortion brings up the issue of gender preferences by families and societies. It is believed that most societies prefer the male gender to female thus opt to terminate female fetus with an early knowledge of what the baby would turn out to be.

References

Castro, B., Stray, B. (2016). Healthcare students’ knowledge and opinions about the Argentinean abortion law. Sexual & reproductive healthcare, 7, 21-26

White, K., Potter, J. E., Stevenson, A. J., Fuentes, L., Hopkins, K.,& Grossman, D. (2016). Women’s knowledge of and support for abortion restrictions in Texas: finding from statewide representative survey. Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health, 48(4), 189-197

Saad, L. (2013). Majority of Americans still support Roe v Wade decision. Gallup, January, 23.