A Conservative’s View on Abortion

According to The Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary, “abortion” is defined as the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus: as a) spontaneous expulsion of a human fetus during the first 12 weeks of gestation, b) induced expulsion of a human fetus, or c) expulsion of a human fetus by a domestic animal often due to infection any time before completion of pregnancy. As said by conservative Pope John Paul II, abortion can be recognized as “the deliberate and direct killing, by whatever means it is carried out, of a human being in the initial phase of his or her existence, extending from conception to birth.” (11). Don Marquis, another conservative, argues that because abortion denies the fetus of a future like other human beings, “the moral presumption against abortion is as strong as the presumption against killing another adult human being.” (21). There are quite a few different definitions of the word “abortion” and there are countless writings on whether it is to be an acceptable act or not. However, the basic concept what an abortion seems to remain unanimous. Abortion can collectively be looked at as the intentional termination of a pregnancy before the fetus is born.

There are three positions one could take regarding abortion: the conservative view, the liberal view, and the moderate view (which is then divided up into four additional identifiable strategies). Focusing solely on the conservative view, conservatives believe that abortion is never ethically acceptable. At most, abortion is only acceptable when necessary to save the pregnant woman’s life. Conservatives claim that a fetus has full moral status. Although one cannot prove that a fetus is undoubtedly a ‘person’, one cannot deny that it is a potential person, and because it could one day become a ‘person’, the fetus must be given a right to live. They believe that the fetus’ right to live must be respected, and that abortion (perhaps with the exception to save the pregnant woman’s life) is just as objectionably wrong as murder. Someone who has taken the conservative’s side of thinking also believes that life begins at conception since it is impossible to draw a line of when life begins anywhere along the path of fetal development.

The theory of Consequentialism can be looked at as the reasoning behind the conservative view. A consequentialist believes in the notion that the right action is the action that bears a good consequence. The challenge is then deciding which consequences are capable of being deemed good. Since death is usually dreaded and looked upon as a “bad” event to happen, living would be a “good” consequence by most, if not all, people. Any kind of consequence that would negatively impact the life of a person could also be easily deemed as a “bad” consequence. Looking at the consequences of having an abortion versus not having an abortion could be the underlying base of most of the conservatives’ positions.

Since abortion is characterized as the deliberate termination of a pregnancy, and (to a conservative) life allegedly begins at conception, the fetus is alive and can be considered a person. By aborting the fetus, this would take away the potential future that fetus (which would eventually turn into a person if given the chance) would have. By taking its life (or in other words, murdering or killing it), the ‘potential person’ would not be able to enjoy “activities, projects, experiences, and enjoyments” (21) that a human would one day undergo. To choose the action of not having an abortion, the consequence of that action would be supporting and maintaining life, which is considered a “good” consequence. It would be allowing the fetus a future, permitting it to grow and indulge in human experiences.

A woman’s body goes through a great deal of changes after a procedure like an abortion. The consequences can be extreme, up to and including death. Abortions are the fifth leading cause of maternal deaths in the United States. For those women who are fortunate enough not to die, a number of those women still experience some complications. Thirty percent of women who have abortions wind up developing infections (such as pelvic inflammatory disease) and if not treated right away, the woman could become barren, or unable to have any children. Also, miscarriages, premature births, and fetal deaths are more common for women who have had abortions then for women who have not. The physical ailments that may occur can be devastating and dangerous. They would negatively affect the life of the woman, and therefore can be deemed as a “bad” consequence by conservatives. A woman’s body, however, is not the only part of the body that can become damaged.

Another consequence of having an abortion is having one’s mental state altered. A few common negative psychological effects woman present after having an abortion are an overwhelming sense of regret, guilt, anger, and/or depression, either directly after the procedure or during later pregnancies. Some women are also have said to have had flashbacks or nightmares about the procedure. Post abortion syndrome, experienced by 19 to 60 percent of women, is a series of psychological effects ranging from mild depression to attempted suicide.
Yet another psychological effect some women come across is an obsession with babies. Nancy Anders, a woman who had an abortion while she was a young girl, writes her testimonial on a website called AfterAbortion. She states, “When that failed, I then tried to make relationships work with men, any man. I was driven with a need to have a child... It is hard to explain this need to keep having babies, but I did. From 1976 with the birth of my first living child, to 1985 at the birth of my fourth and final living child, I was pregnant a total of eight times.” (AfterAbortion). For Nancy, her obsession only ended after her doctor told her that if she wanted to see the children she already had grow up, she must stop having children or getting pregnant. The psychological tolls felt after having an abortion can become incredible. Abortion can be looked at as a “bad” consequence without difficulty after reviewing some of the psychological effects women (and even some men) can present.

Abortion has been a heated debate ever since the Roe vs. Wade case in 1973, and there is no doubt the debate will continue to be a focal point in many elections and in religious forums. People have many different feelings about abortions, and the conservatives believe the sanctity of life rules over everything. I agree with the conservatives, not just because of the obvious reasons, but because there are many unseen consequences, like the psychological effects and the physical effects an abortion can cause a woman. It is not my motive in this paper to sway anyone one way or another, but I hope this paper has magnified your understanding of the conservative view of abortion.

Works Cited
After Abortion. 2006. 16 Feb. 2009 .
Mappes, Thomas A., and Jane S. Zembaty. Social Ethics. Seventh ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007.