Essay on Legality of Abortion - 1545 Words

Of all the legal, ethical, and moral issues we Americans continuously fight for or against, abortion may very well be the issue that Americans are most passionate about. The abortion issue is in the forefront of political races. Most recently the â€Å"no taxpayer funding for abortion act†, has abortion advocates reeling. Even though abortion has been legal in every state in the United States since the monumental Supreme Court decision, â€Å"Roe v Wade†, on January 22, 1973; there are fewer physicians willing to perform abortions today than in 2008. (Kraft) At the heart of the ethical dilemma for many in the medical profession is the viability of the fetus. And just to make this whole dilemma more confusing, according to the United States†¦show more content†¦It is considered minimally invasion as it only local anesthesia is used to numb the cervix. Aspiration is another first trimester abortion method. This is also referred to as a DC (dilation and curettag e abortion). This procedure will not generally be done using local anesthesia alone. Medication based abortion procedures are not an option during the second trimester of pregnancy. Local anesthesia is used and either a DC or a DE (dilation and evacuation) method is performed. Less than ten percent of abortions are done in the second trimester. Third trimester or late term abortions are extremely rare. Third trimester abortions are no longer legal in most states, as a result of the â€Å"partial birth abortion act† except under certain extreme medical conditions. These were known as late term abortions. In the medical community the point of viability is still a grey area, but most consider the twenty-fourth week the earliest viable period. Until approximately the twenty-fourth week of pregnancy an induction abortion is used to terminate pregnancy. Previous to becoming illegal, intrauterine cranial decompression was used to end late term pregnancies. (americanpregnancy.org) W omen have been having elective abortions, using different methods, all over the world, for thousands of years. In the United States, from the time the first settlers arrived abortion was legal during the first trimester or what was then called the quickening. The quickening wasShow MoreRelatedThe Legality And Morality Of Abortion1103 Words   |  5 Pages The legality and morality of abortion is a huge topic in today’s society. Are there ever times when it is justified? Who has a say in the matter of whether or not it is justified? How does one know how to justify abortion? â€Å"Given a particular pregnancy, who should decide whether or not it ought to be terminated?† (Jaggar, 218) People argue over whether or not the unborn child has the right to life or does the woman have the right to her own body. Other party’s possibly involved are the stateRead MoreThe Legality Of Abortion For Women Essay3703 Words   |  15 Pageswill explore the legality of abortio n as a result of defilement in Kenya. The following are the areas I will cover: I. What abortion is, II. The legality of abortion as per the constitution of Kenya III. International instruments on Abortion IV. The church perception on the issue of abortion. V. Problems with Article 26(4) of the constitution of Kenya VI. Defilement VII. Abortion as a result of defilement and the legality VIII. What the constitution of Kenya states when abortion is allowed. IXRead More The Battle Between Legality and Morality: An Abortion Dilemma 2397 Words   |  10 PagesAbortion is inherently immoral because life begins at conception and therefore abortion is murder and infringes on ones unalienable rights to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness stated in the Declaration of Independence. Abortion also takes a physical and emotional toll on both the fetus and mother and therefore the sanctity of life must be protected. Although pro-life advocates argue the moral side of abortion— the killing of the innocent is immoral, pro-choice advocates argue the legalRead MoreWhy Abortion Is Immoral And Should Be Illegal1581 Words   |  7 Pagesnumerous other regions throughout the world, legislation regarding abortion has crossed the desks of lawyers, lawmakers, and potuses alike. Unsurprisingly, each country has its own opinions and laws on the matter, as well as differing rationale for why those laws must be upheld. However, what is not so diff erent between cultures is the negative stigma attached to abortion. Each woman I interviewed claimed that no matter the legality of abortion in their respective country, it was still a taboo and privateRead MoreSocietal Attitudes Toward Abortion : Public Opinion Varies Based On The Situation Surrounding The Pregnancy1606 Words   |  7 PagesSocietal Attitudes Toward Abortion Public opinion varies based on the situation surrounding the pregnancy. Whether it may be an unplanned pregnancy or a rape, the topic of abortion always receives different extremities of reactions. In situations where a privileged couple gets pregnant and simply does not have time for a baby and gets an abortion, the public may react differently than from a situation where a 15 year old girl is raped by her stepfather and gets pregnant. There appears to be a spectrumRead MoreIs Abortion Morally Wrong?1704 Words   |  7 Pagesdebates in today’s society is how the legalities apply to the process of abortion. In this debate, most people usually connect with either the â€Å"pro-life† argument, or the â€Å"pro-choice† argument. Before developing a position, it is important to understand both sides of the argument and weigh the consequences of each. The common ground between the two is often mistaken, making it difficult for people to find their position. People who support banishing legal abortions are usually referred to as â€Å"pro-lifersRead MoreAbortion Final Paper : Abortion1357 Words   |  6 Pages Abortion Final Paper Robert Stockfleth Arizona State University â€Æ' Abortion Final Paper The issue of abortion has been a highly polarizing topic in recent decades, although abortion has been around for thousands of years. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary (2014) defines abortion as â€Å"a medical procedure used to end a pregnancy and cause the death of a fetus.† Today three highly debated points regarding abortion are: should it be legal, when does human life begin, and who should provideRead MoreAbortion Is A Controversial Topic1097 Words   |  5 Pages Abortion is a controversial topic and in 1973 (PBS.org), the United States court case of Roe v. Wade resulted in an unconstitutional ruling of abortions as illegal except when a mother life was in jeopardy. This case politically polarized citizens of the country, influenced debates and resulted in violence (PBS.org). The polarization of public opinions among citizens concerning abortions can be related to many factors. Some factors that can polarize citizens’ public opinions towards abortionRe ad MoreEthics And Abortion : Abortion Essay1724 Words   |  7 PagesEthics And Abortion According to the authors of a medical dictionary called; the free dictionary, online version, â€Å"abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy before the fetus is viable.† Viability for a fetus is usually greater than 500 grams, or prior to 20 weeks gestation as noted by those same authors. An abortion may be spontaneous, commonly referred to as a miscarriage, or induced which describes the deliberate interruption of a pregnancy. Those authors assert that it is the viabilityRead MoreThe Situation And Discourse Of The Ottoman Empire1712 Words   |  7 Pageswas also a determining factor that led to the encouragement of woman to procreate and resulted in damnation of the practice of abortion. After the Russo-Ottoman War of 1877-78 there was widespread fear throughout the empire of a supposed decline in the Muslim population, and in 1890 Abdulhamid II instructed his officials to release a treatise that addressed the abortion issue and described it as being a hazard to Islamic and Ottoman society as a whole (Demirci 2008). The Muslim population was especially