Abortion is one of the most widely debated among the issues that affect the society today. The point of contention is the question whether expulsion of a fetus at any stage in its development is actually a form of destruction of human life, or whether it is a choice of the mother. In my opinion, whether or not an expectant mother aborts depending on the circumstances she is faced with, should be her own choice. In fact, this is in line with the Ninth Amendment of the United States Constitution which says that the freedom of choice is sacred and unalienable to each individual.
The direction to take in life and the control over the female body are aspects of living every woman should take if civil rights are to be respected (Clowen). If a woman conceives, it is her own body that goes through all the strain and stress associated with pregnancy. The society should therefore not dictate to her what she can or cannot do with the pregnancy because doing so would be directly violating her freedom of choice which is the most fundamental of all human freedoms.
Sometimes, a woman may conceive from an unfortunate event like rape. If the woman is forced to carry through with the pregnancy, it will be a continuous source of emotional and psychological pain for her; a pain that the society cannot effectively share (Colker 49). In any case, a child borne from such a pregnancy will be an unwanted child. It will have to go through its early and later life without sufficient love from a mother, which is itself a very unfortunate scenario which should be avoided.
Sometimes, teenagers contact unwanted pregnancies. They are obviously not ready for unwanted pregnancies (Colker 51). Furthermore, carrying on with an unwanted pregnancy greatly compromises a teenager’s capacity to secure a quality education and therefore ensure a quality life in latter life. The girl, besides being physically and psychologically unprepared to raise a child, may lack the support needed to raise a child to desirable standards.
Such girls end up dropping from school and engaging in petty employment, prostitution and drug peddling, and their lives are doomed (Colker 51). Allowing them to terminate a pregnancy early is surely the wisest choice. The argument raised by pro-life lobbyists that life begins at conception and that even the female egg and male sperm are life is scientifically invalid. A fetus is not a separate entity; it is an integral part of the female body and cannot survive on its own, just like an arm. Its rights should therefore not surpass those of the mother.
If a pregnancy is a threat to the safety of the mother, then she should be empowered to choose to terminate it (Clowen). In any case, it is her who would entirely bear the responsibility of an unplanned or an unwanted child. In conclusion, a pregnancy is should be approached not as just a life developing inside a mother’s womb. It should be viewed as a strenuous process that will result into a new life on earth. With this life, there will be the responsibility of providing it with all the rights, freedoms and comforts that a life is fully entitled to.
If the above provisions cannot be made, a woman should have the right to terminate the pregnancy so as to avoid the risk of acquiring a burden that she cannot carry. Works cited Colker, Ruth. Abortion & Dialogue: Pro-choice, Pro-life, and American Law. Indiana. Indiana University Press, 1992. Lowen, Linda. “Ten Arguments For Abortion and Against Abortion. ” Abortion Pros and Cons, and Main Points of the Debate. 2010. 28 Apr. 2010. <http://womensissues. about. com/od/reproductiverights/a/AbortionArgumen. htm>