Introduction
Abortion is one of the topics that human beings continue to argue about with no definite conclusion. Pro-life and pro-choice movements project their arguments about the safety of a pregnant mother and the welfare of a child. The two movements do not agree on whether abortion should be legal or illegal. Disagreements continue to soar as states tighten their restrictions on abortion laws. State restrictions come amidst staggering statistics which indicate that over 623,000 abortions are carried out annually in America alone (English, 2019). Globally, a WHO report shows that 40 million abortions occur annually. While many arguments about abortion favor the convenience of pregnant women, it overrules the right of the unborn child.
Pro-Choice
The pro-choice movement argues that women have the right to decide what they should do with their bodies. They argue that pregnancy should interrupt their life or goals. For example, teenagers or young adults believe that pregnancy will hinder their academic goals (English, 2019). Pregnant mothers also believe they should not be forced to raise a child conceived out of rape or unwanted pregnancy. For instance, Jones and Jerman (2017) show that 15-25 percent of rape victims choose abortion due to the guilt and unpreparedness to bear a child. Conversely, the pro-life movement indicates that women can utilize the various adoption programs rather than kill an innocent child. According to Jones and Jerman (2017), pregnancy is not a death sentence to cut short the dreams or goals of an individual. They also provide various examples of women who have achieved high goals despite raising children. Although women have the right to decide what to do with their bodies, the rights of the unborn child could restrict them significantly.
One of the adages in abortion argument is that women who support abortion, their mothers did not abort. If they did, they could not alive today to champion for termination of pregnancy (Jones & Jerman, 2017). The argument is used to silence the pro-choice movement, yet they sometimes have credible claims. For instance, medical experts can evaluate a situation and prefer to terminate the pregnancy if it threatens the life of a mother (Jones & Jerman, 2017). Such cases are rare, but it is important to respect that cases can demand abortion. In such instances, a woman will have another chance to live and perhaps bear more children. A CDC report shows that women who carry out abortion are between 15 and 44 years (English, 2019). Therefore, such an age bracket has another chance to bear children if the health of the bodies allows.
Pro-Life
The first argument of the pro-life movement is that life is sacred and only the giver of it, God, has the right to take it away. According to various religious texts, abortion is not acceptable. Therefore, it is against the faith upon which a nation such as America is founded to terminate the pregnancy. Research studies also indicate that people who terminate pregnancy once are likely to do it again (English, 2019). Therefore, allowing abortion can lead to a series of other cases that will eventually create a national crisis. It is not a wonder that states are enacting strict rules to govern the rights to terminate the pregnancy. For instance, several states indicate that pregnancy past 6-8 weeks gestation is illegal (Jones and Jerman (2017). As such, abortion is only legal if the life of a mother is at risk. The regulations are necessary to ensure that people observe the sanctity of life and uphold it dearly.
The pro-choice movement argues that a woman has the right to terminate the pregnancy since it is an inconvenience in her life. However, the comfort of a mother cannot warrant the death of a child. Similarly, the wealthy cannot kill the poor to eliminate them as a hindrance. They also argue that if abortion is illegal, it will lead to unsafe surgical operations in the black market (English, 2019). The unsafe procedures will lead to the deaths of thousands of women. However, Jones and Jerman (2017) indicate that investigations into the statistics reveal that the numbers were not real since the pro-choice movement only wanted to seek public sympathy. The discussion on whether to carry out an abortion or not is hinged balancing the safety, convenience, and rights of both the mother and unborn child.
Balancing Point
The truth remains the truth even if millions of people are against it. It also remains a fact despite criticism from the well-learned or affluent in society. In the case of abortion, the two sides cannot win the argument since each of them is convinced about their opinion (English, 2019). However, basic human rights apply to the old and the young including the unborn. No one has the right to terminate the life of another person for their convenience (English, 2019). Therefore, mothers should take it as a privilege to carry a child and usher them into this world. They should not view it as a burden to be pregnant and thus find the easiest way to resume to comfort zone. Despite the challenges a woman may go through during pregnancy, they should be resilient and uphold the truth.
The federal and state governments cannot legalize abortion as a way of minimizing the risk of black-market abortion. According to Jones and Jerman (2017), it would be similar to legalizing rape and drug trafficking to avoid arresting and jailing more people each year. It is also possible that more women are dying today out of legal medical procedures compared to illegal abortions. Therefore, the decisions should not be based on statistics, but on the truth. The reason is that the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) co-founder Dr. Bernard Nathanson agrees that some figures are doctored to manipulate the outcomes (English, 2019). The government should take firm action against those who violate the regulations to prevent a crisis in the future.
Conclusion
The abortion topic continues to trigger an endless debate between pro-life and pro-choice movements. The arguments of the two fronts do not lead to a definite conclusion on the rights of a child and mother. The inability to balance the two rights brings the discussion to a point of realizing that abortion interferes with the human rights of an unborn child. States have enacted regulations to restrict abortion for pregnancy beyond 6 to 8 weeks gestation. It is also the responsibility of individual women to take pregnancy as a privilege to usher a person into this life. If the burden is hard to bear, they should put up their child for adoption in various programs available today. However, they should not undermine the rights of an unborn child for the sake of their convenience.
