Essay, Research Paper: Pro-Choice

Pro-Choice
I personally support a woman’s right to terminate an unwanted pregnancy for any reason. I don’t agree with abortion being used as a form of birth control, but since I don’t believe in “straddling the fence” on such issues, I support abortion fully. There are too many negative consequences possible with the prohibition of abortion. It is a fact that illegal abortions will continue to be performed in the event that abortion is outlawed. With that we risk the health and potentially the lives of thousands of women. History has proven that pregnant women will attempt to terminate their pregnancies without the necessary medical attention. Abolishing a woman’s right to an abortion will not prevent the procedure from being performed and is not worth that risk.
Those who oppose abortion believe that abstinence, birth control, and adoptions are some of the answers to preventing unwanted pregnancies. Well, in this day and time, we can pretty much exclude abstinence. It is not happening with the majority of the population. As for birth control, there is not a 100% guarantee with the most widely used methods (i.e. the pill, condoms, foam, etc.). And if a woman should get pregnant I firmly support her choice to terminate it just like it was her choice to engage in sexual intercourse. It is obvious that adoption isn’t the answer due to the amount of unwanted orphans in the U.S. today. I would like to know how many children those who support it so adamantly have adopted. Maybe we should ask all those who support adoption in opposition to abortion to take in a child or two.
Of course, there is a flip side to every coin. The result of abortion is death, the killing of a human who was never given a chance. All because of ones selfishness and lack of planning. Committing an adult act, such as sexual intercourse, requires adult responsibility. It is unfortunate that women and men are not weighing the consequences before acting. Would the same individuals who choose abortions in their 6th week of pregnancy kill their six-week old infant? What’s the difference?
I find it terribly difficult to sincerely support any of the pro-life arguments. Perhaps it is because I have “been there, done that”. Had I not had “the choice”, my life would have taken a drastic turn. A turn that I was neither financially or emotionally ready to take. Everyone makes mistakes and most of us learn from them. I don’t want to imagine my sisters without the right to choose, and being forced into a situation, which without careful preparation could be traumatic.


Word Count: 439