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Alexis Cook

ENG 1201

Dr. Stalbird

9 March 2020

Women’s rights have been challenged time and time again. In 1973, there was finally a
law that the U.S Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States protects
pregnant women’s liberty to choose whether or not to keep the baby or have an abortion. Prior
to this ruling, abortion had been illegal all over the country since the late 19th century. (Roe V.
Wade)

However, women still feel like they are fighting for their freedom to choose. States have been
trying to pass many laws to limit the choice of abortions such as the heartbeat bill. The law that
was passed by Republican Gov. Mike Dewine in Ohio, would get doctors in trouble who
performed abortions after a fetal heartbeat was found. This could be as early as six weeks
gestation with a transvaginal ultrasound. (Federal judge blocks Ohio’s ‘heartbeat bill’ abortion
ban)This law was going to start July 11, but is now being challenged in court. The heartbeat bill
was created to challenge Roe v. Wade case. So far no “heartbeat bill” abortion ban has taken
effect since it was blocked by lawsuits. However, if this bill does pass, doctors would face a fifth-
degree felony punishable by up to a year in prison for going through with an abortion after
finding a heartbeat. (Federal judge blocks Ohio’s ‘heartbeat bill’ abortion ban)

Before abortion was legal, many women would have unsafe illegal abortions that could put their
life in danger. From Prochoice’s website, a statistic was found that said an estimated 68,000
women worldwide die each year from unsafe abortions such as ones done illegally. Women can
access termination services early in a pregnancy by medication abortion. This is when the use
of mifepristone and misoprostol can end a pregnancy up to 10 weeks gestation. (Overregulation
Forces Women To Have Late-Term Abortions) One in four women in the U.S. will have an
abortion by the time they’re 45 according to Planned Parenthood statistics. Having or not having
an abortion should always be the women’s choice and they choice they will have to live with for
the rest of their lives.

A fetal heartbeat can start around six weeks, which is earlier than most women even know they
are pregnant. The heartbeat bill wouldn’t allow abortions after this six weeks to anybody, even
rape victims would have to continue with the pregnancy. Making abortion illegal will only make
things worst for women who are desperate and life threatening situations. It will force women to
go to extreme measures with unsafe methods of abortion. I don’t think that abortions should be
a use of birth control, but I do believe that mistakes happen. I believe in the quality of life over
quantity too. The foster care system is getting worse and worse every year as the number of
kids rise. Many kids end up homeless and living a very unhappy life.
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Abortion is one the safest medical procedures when performed according to recommended
guidelines. In developed countries like the United States, abortion related mortality is less than 1
death per 100,000 procedures, which is 14 times lower than the mortality rate associated with
childbirth. Researchers say that the unsafe abortion-related case fatality rate has decreased
globally from 340 to 220 deaths per 100,000 procedures between 1990 and 2008. Pharmacies
have been instrumental in allowing women's access to and use of misoprostol during this time.
(Bell)

In conclusion, I believe abortion should remain legal up until the third trimester when the fetus
could feel pain. I think that the heartbeat bill is a little unreasonable, however the sooner the
woman makes her decision, the better.
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Bibliography
Bell, Suzanne O., et al. "Measurement of abortion safety using community-based surveys:
Findings from three countries." PLoS ONE, vol. 14, no. 11, 2019, p. e0223146. Gale In
Context: Opposing Viewpoints, https://link-gale-
com.sinclair.ohionet.org/apps/doc/A605081652/OVIC?
u=dayt30401&sid=OVIC&xid=fdb5beeb. Accessed 1 Mar. 2020.

Balmert, Jessie. “Federal Judge Blocks Ohio's 'Heartbeat Bill' Abortion Ban.” Cincinnati.com,
Cincinnati Enquirer, 3 July 2019,
www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2019/07/03/federal-judge-blocks-ohios-
heartbeat-bill-abortion-ban/1559819001/.

History.com Editors. “Roe v. Wade.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 27 Mar. 2018,
www.history.com/topics/womens-rights/roe-v-wade.

Parenthood, Planned. “Abortion Information: Information About Your Options.” Planned

Parenthood, www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/abortion. Accessed 10 Mar. 2020