Abortion is an intense subject of debate among many Americans today. Each side has come up with compelling arguments defending their position as the debate continues. Abortion disproportionately affects the African American community here in the United States. Abortion should remain legal because women should have the right to decide what happens with their bodies; some women that become pregnant are not ready emotionally or financially to be mothers; and abortion is the best answer for an unwanted pregnancy between casual sex partners.
Women should be given the right to decide what happens with their bodies. It is the woman that has to carry the fetus in her womb for up to nine months and definitely change her lifestyle to make sure the baby receives proper nutrients. Pregnancy changes a woman’s life immediately and often unexpectedly. The woman does all the hard work during pregnancy; therefore, it should be the right of that woman to decide if she is ready to bring another life into this world. If she decides that she is not ready, she should have the option of terminating her pregnancy.
Unexpected pregnancies often come at a time when a woman is not ready emotionally or financially to become a parent. She is not alone, because often times the man is not ready either. Raising a child is a huge financial responsibility and should not be taken lightly. That means the parents may have to reevaluate their spending habits to provide for their child. That child’s needs should come before the parent’s wants.
Besides the finances, that child is going to need to feel love everyday from the parents. A lot of the parent’s time is no longer their own, and the decisions they make in life now affects more than just them.
Sometimes the choice of abortion comes down to a compatibility issue. When pregnancy results from casual sex partners that are not attached to each other emotionally, it would not be a good idea for them to bring a life in this world. This is true especially if the two can not get along, because that child will connect them to each other for the rest of their lives. The possible constant conflict and tension between the parents would have a negative effect on the raising of that child, and any future relationships they have apart from each other. Two consenting adults having sex with each other should be able to talk and get along with each other, but unfortunately, this is not always the case. When two people that can not get along other than just sex have an unexpected pregnancy, abortion is the intelligent choice.
Pro-lifers do not believe that these are valid enough reasons to make abortion legal. They believe that women should control their bodies by preventing unwanted pregnancy with the use of contraception, or even abstinence. They also believe abortion should not be used as another form of contraception.
It is easy to say unwanted pregnancies can be avoided with a contraceptive or abstinence. However, just because it sounds easy does not make it so. Condoms have been proven to have flaws that lessen its effectiveness. They sometimes pop during intercourse placing that man and woman in a position they took precautions to avoid. Studies have also shown that the annual pregnancy rate is 2% among perfect users. Perfect use of condoms is defined as persons that use a condom properly and consistently, as opposed to actual users who do not use condoms properly or during every sexual intercourse. Studies have also shown that abstinence- only programs have not been effective in keeping teens from having sex. The teens that were in these programs had just as many sex partners as those that did not attend. The attendees were also having their first sexual relations around the same time as the non-attendees.
In conclusion, keeping abortion legal will allow women to have full control of their bodies; keep some of our children from having to grow up financially and emotionally deprived; and help keep two people apart that should not be together in the first place. Those that oppose abortion preach that contraceptives and abstinence is the key to preventing unwanted pregnancy, but it is not that simple. Forcing women to give birth against their will, will undoubtedly leave society to deal with another set of moral issues that will greatly chagrin pro lifers.
