Pro-Choice is Pro-Life

Whether to get an abortion or not ought to be the decision of the woman with a fetus growing

inside them; it is not a decision to made by the government or anyone who lacks the experience to relate.

Abortion must be legalized so it is obtainable and safe when it becomes a necessary option. Otherwise,

thousands upon thousands of women’s lives will be placed in a needless risk.

Limiting access to abortion is against women’s human rights, for it prevents women from

securing essential care during their pregnancy. By delaying this care, the fundamental right to health is at

risk along with women’s lives. Banning abortion also restricts control over their bodies and lives since

pregnancy is deemed a life turning event for women. It halts or hinders the progression of activities that

would position them in a state of living suitable to raise a child such as acquiring higher education and

employment. Additionally, prohibiting abortion goes against the values of milestone documents such as

the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Discrimination against Women, and the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child (“Abortion - a matter

of human rights and social justice”). Simply put, rights are not accessories that can be taken away; hence,

it is unacceptable to pick and choose what rights women can have.

If legal abortions are no longer permitted, then more dangerous methods will be taken. Legal

abortions are conducted safely and with regulations, so the chances of major complications after the

abortion are only about 2 percent (Kurtzman). In contrast, in countries where abortion is criminalized,

women are forced to search for life threatening alternatives to get rid of the pregnancy such as drinking

bleach, turpentine, or going to an unhygienic, unprofessional, and ill-equipped abortion center (Baptiste).

According to the World Health Organization, around 25 million yearly, unsafe abortions are conducted

worldwide. This alone results in about 23,000 women’s deaths and thousands more with major health

complications. In these countries, only 1 in 4 abortions are performed safely, whereas those that allow

abortions have 9 in 10 safe abortions (“Worldwide, an estimated 25 million unsafe abortions occur each

year”). For example, Romania completely banned abortion to increase the population yet resulted in the

doubling of maternal deaths in less than 25 years (Mackinnon). Illegalizing abortions has not and will not
dwindle the number of abortions that occur; it will only increase the risk of unsafe abortions. With such

facts considered, women would not become victims of policies that prioritize unborn children over their

own if abortions are legalized.

The goal of accessible abortions is neither to “kill an innocent life” nor be “used as a

contraceptive,” but rather it is used to secure a future for women and their family. As a matter of fact,

most women who decide to go through an abortion have concerns of their inability to raise the child due

to financial struggle or lack of preparation. Concerns for maintaining a child stem from the fact that it is

expensive to provide for them. Studies show the chances of living in impoverished conditions increase by

16 percent when a woman is denied abortion (Foster). This means an overwhelming majority of women

want an abortion to ensure the betterment of not only their lives but also their family's future. Forcing

women to undergo an undesired pregnancy suppress them while confining and imprisoning the children

in an environment enabled by the lack of abortion. Teenage pregnancies are a prime example that having

an unwanted child, especially at a young age, restricts them to the lifestyle of a mother. It becomes

difficult for them to focus on any other aspirations and goals. They are financially unstable and

commonly live in conditions where they lack the resources to buy food and afford housing. Rather than

living, the children are simply surviving through these conditions.

Most will argue abortion is murder, though this is refutable because 89 percent of women that

undergo an abortion do so before 12 weeks (“Induced Abortion in the United States”). This is before the

brain is fully developed in the fetus’ body and lacks neurons to react to surrounding sounds or

movements. Of these women, approximately 66 percent undergo the procedure before 8 weeks of their

pregnancy. This before the embryo has developed into a fetus (“Fetal Development”). Considering how a

person is presumed dead when their brain is no longer functioning, a fetus without a fully developed brain

cannot possibly be considered alive.

In conclusion, legal abortions open opportunities where women and children alike can flourish

when the time is right. Rather than ostracizing women, providing resources necessary for their well-being

during their time of need will be beneficial to them as possible future mothers and to society, for the
children are mankind’s future.The separation between pro-lifers and pro-choicers is unnecessary because

they both have the same goal: save as many lives possible. So, if they team up together, then change will

finally occur.
 Works Cited

“Abortion - a matter of human rights and social justice” Women on Web

https://www.womenonweb.org/en/page/508/abortion-a-matter-of-human-rights-and-

social-justice

Baptiste, Natalie. “This Is What Happens When Abortion Is Outlawed” The American Prospects

https://prospect.org/article/what-happens-when-abortion-outlawed

“Fetal development” U.S. National Library of Medicine

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002398.htm

Greene Foster, Diana. “When women are denied an abortion, their children fare worse than

peers” STAT News https://www.statnews.com/2018/12/05/how-abortion-denial-affects-

children-well-being/

Kurtzman, Laura. “Major Complication Rate After Abortion Is Extremely Low, Study Shows”

The Regents of The University of California

https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2014/12/121781/major-complication-rate-after-abortion-

extremely-low-study-shows

Mackinnon, Amy. “What Actually Happens When a Country Bans Abortion” Foreign Policy

https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/05/16/what-actually-happens-when-a-country-bans-

abortion-romania-alabama/

“Preventing unsafe abortion” World Health Organization https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-

sheets/detail/preventing-unsafe-abortion 

“The World's Abortion Laws” Center for Reproductive Rights

https://reproductiverights.org/worldabortionlaws