Asha Mumin

Professor Nathan Cole

English 1010-096
Final Draft
Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice
Abortion is a controversial political issue where pro-choice democrats believe it
shouldn't be illegal for a woman to abort a fetus. Whereas pro-life conservative
republicans believe it should be illegal for a woman to abort a fetus labeling it as
murder. Women not only in the United States but throughout the world are fighting for
the right to have full control over their bodies and reproductive decisions. Until the late
1800's women have been practicing illegal abortions and trained others to do so
causing high risks of complications and possibly even bleeding to death. It wasnt until
the 19th century when states prohibited abortions.

By 1880 abortions were illegal in the United States unless it was to save a
mothers life. An estimated 19-20 million unsafe abortions take place every year, 97% of
these are in developed countries. Unsafe abortions is one of the most neglected global
public health challenges. Thousands of women die each year and millions suffer from
permanent injuries.

Religious republicans argue that each of us were human beings from conception,
abortion is a form of murder and should be banned. The concept of personhood is

different from the concept of human life. Human life occurs at conception, but fertilized
eggs used for in vitro fertilization are also human lives and those not implanted are
routinely thrown away. Is this murder, and if not, then how is abortion murder? Abortion
isn't killing a human, from what we know a fetus doesn't begin to develop until 5 weeks
after conceiving. Aborting a fetus is not killing a person, anti-abortionist fail to
understand female sexuality.

Another pro-life argument is that abortions cause long term effects on the mother
which can be as serious as breast cancer when in reality medical abortions have less
than .5% risk of complications and doesnt effect a womans health or future to give
birth.
Women all over the world are performing unsafe acts to terminate an abortion
which can cause more harm and is never safe. Pro-life arguments include abortions are
used as a form of contraception accusing women of being irresponsible. While
pregnancy can occur even with responsible contraceptive use. If abortions were to be
illegal how would rape victims get the proper car and attention they need? What about
the teenagers who become pregnant they are much likely to rely on assistance to raise
a child, if abortions were available to them this wouldnt be an issue.

Women all over the world need to have access to professional medical care and
the right to decide what happens to their body. If this was completely up to the woman
then women all over the world wouldnt have to perform harmful acts to terminate a
pregnancy which can lead to serious illness even death. Some of the results from

dangerous procedures include infection of the uterine, heavy bleeding, and uterine
perforation this can occur when a sharp object is inserted into the uterus causing severe
damage.

Whether abortions are legal or illegal women will continue to find ways to abort
an unwanted pregnancy exposing them to dangerous health risks. If this issue was legal
women wouldn't have to put their lives in danger when they could be getting the proper
medical attention. Governments should never have the power to interfere with our
personal lives. I strongly believe every woman should have the right to make her own
choices. The ability for women to have control over their bodies is critical to civil rights.

Cited Sources

Lowen, Linda. "10 Common Arguments For and Against Abortion." About. N.p., 7 May
2013. Web. 05 Nov. 2014.
Schwarzwalder, Rob. "Family Research Council." Family Research Council. Web, 05
Nov. 2014.
Calmes, Jackie. "Advocates Shun Pro-Choice to Expand Message." The New York
Times. The New York Times, 28 July 2014. Web. 06 Nov. 2014.
"Induced Abortion and the Risk of Breast Cancer." New England Journal of Medicine
336.25 (1997): 1834-835. Web.
Grimes, David A., and Janie Benson. Unsafe Abortion: The Preventable Pandemic.
Geneva: World Health Organization (WHO), 2006. Web.