Abortion: should it be legal

What is abortion? It is the termination of a pregnancy before the fetus attains viability, the capacity for life outside the womb. As discussed here, we mean induced abortion, not miscarriage or spontaneous abortion, but in other words the decision of the mother to terminate the fetus. In our textbook it states about abortion, “ Arguments about morality can often generate the most controversy, because the majority of people regard moral questions as being among the most important. Abortion, the death penalty, euthanasia, how we raise our children, and a wide range of political issues has generated many such arguments” (Mosser, 2011 pg. . 2).

To say that abortion is wrong is like saying being gay is wrong. Abortion laws have always been difficult to enforce. Indeed, few laws have been more widely and flagrantly broken than those regarding abortion. Even before New York State pioneered in abortion reform, it was estimated that over one million abortions were performed annually in the United States. During the Victorian era and thereafter, the entire subject of abortion had been so taboo; the very mention of the word opened a flood of emotions in response to the sensitive moral, religious, and social issues involved.

Until New York State’s Reform Bill, there had been no change in abortion laws. The real situation is that is no amount of medical knowledge that can answer this question: What should this woman do about the growing fetus inexorable inside of her? The answer depends on what the woman believes to be true about her, and those around exploring and often altering those beliefs. “ The removal of cost as one barrier to correct and consistent contraceptive use might contribute to a reduction in the number of unintended pregnancies and onsequently the number of abortions that are performed in the United States” (MMWR, 2011). Since New York State’s liberal abortion law took effect July 1, 1970, any woman from any part the country can go to New York and legally terminate a pregnancy of up to twenty-four week’s duration. Choices Women’s Medical Center was founded in 1971 by Merle Hoffman, a leading advocate of women’s rights and reproductive freedom. This was shortly after abortion became legal in New York State, two years before the Roe V Wade decision legalizing abortion nationally.

Whether are not a person should have an abortion is totally up to the individual and their beliefs. Women in the United States now had access to an abortion method that already accounted for more than half of abortions performed by 7–9 weeks” (Butler, 2011). Because legalized abortion is so controversial and its detractors so alert for reasons to denounce it and dissuade women from choosing it, its proponents have always striven for the very best safety record possible. On a subject so varied, vast and controversial as abortion and abortion rights, no single work can be comprehensive.

There are dozens of collection of firsthand accounts and dozens more scholarly studies, not to mention the thousands of articles, opinion pieces, and news reports and a number of encyclopedias and multivolume resource books and this are in the past decade along. Conclusion: Abortion laws should be repealed to develop the precedent that it’s not the state’s business what adults consent to do in private. One thing seems to be clear that the majority of the American people want more freedom of choice, with government control. It is perhaps a sign of growing maturity to desire to place such responsibility on the individuals.