Abortion – Women's Rights To Choose
Of the issues most often discussed on political platforms with the ability to divide people, abortion is perhaps the most important. There are people who are very certain that the practice is evil due to their own religious beliefs and this makes it difficult to present alternative views to them in a satisfactory manner. This essay will look at the choice side of the argument through some of the less mentioned points.
- Personal freedom
- Costs of parenthood
- Adoption and Fostering Opportunities
- Botched alternatives
Pregnancy requires a significant devotion of time. While many health care systems will provide prenatal care for free or at a significantly subsidized rate, this does not negate the fact that it will put pressures on the mother’s body. There are cases where due to sexual assault, being significantly underage or merely not being at a comfortable stage in life, the choice to terminate a pregnancy may seem more realistic than proceeding.
Raising a child comfortably or at least mildly successfully requires money. Some women may already have other children who require the resources and not have any method of providing for another. This is often a difficult choice as the decision may involve taking another job, spending less time with the other children and other difficult sacrifices.
There are adoption agencies and foster homes but many horror stories come out of these. There are foster parents who treat children terribly and some mothers may believe that non existence is a better option. There is also a preference in adoption for children with certain features as well as ethnic biases.
In countries where abortion is illegal, this does not prevent women from seeking the procedure. It merely drives them to makeshift clinics where fake professionals can subject them to dangerous procedures. The use of coat hangers and other unsuitable tools has resulted in infections and in some cases women have died from these procedures. There are some who escape with their lives but lose their future fertility so that when they are ready to conceive, they no longer have the option.
As divisive as the idea of terminating a pregnancy may be, it is not the only available option. With better sex education and access to condoms and birth control, the demand for abortions could be significantly reduced. It should still be available to those who require it but with better planning, fewer women would.