Argumentative Essay

Amanda Manos
Professor Sheila Austin
ENG 1021
8 December 2012
Pregnancies are Merely Embryos An endocrinologist Dr. M. Joycelyn Elders has said, "We really need to get over this love affair with the fetus and start worrying about children." What is it about the unborn embryo that causes pro-life protestors to react to the issue with such anger? Although there’s a heartbeat in a collection of cells during the third week of pregnancy, that does not make the fetus a living human being. Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy. Women are rightfully entitled to abort their pregnancies. Making the act illegal, as in the past would violate peoples freedom, promote unwanted pregnancy, and would definitely harm the physical health of embryos and the psychological health of mothers to be. Freedom is guaranteed to citizens of the United States. In 1973, the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision permitted abortion. The decision stated that a woman could choose to abort in early stages of pregnancy without legal limitations. In the past, women pursued the illegal termination of pregnancy. These were known as “Coat-Hanger” abortions (Rosen). Some paid at least one thousand dollars to have the procedure done. In the Atlantic an article by Rebecca J. Rosen, she explains that in some circumstances, “Women would take ergotrate, then castor oil, then squat in scalding hot water, then drink everclear alcohol.” When all else failed, women would rather beat their stomach with a hammer before going to an illegal abortionist. One reason for the extreme home procedures was that they simply could not afford the surgery. Supporters from the pro-life side advocate adoption as the answer. However, if abortion were prohibited woman throughout the country will have limited choices since adoption might be the only legal route. Not only will they be forced to look elsewhere for abortion laced with illegality, but also the emotional weight of unwanted pregnancy would give women overwhelming stress. There are several reasons why women may not want to be pregnant. Some of these include financial instability, unwillingness to be a single mother, or because of rape. The nationwide rape-related pregnancy rate is five percent among victims between the ages of twelve and forty-five (Gottschall). It is estimated that thirty-two thousand pregnancies result from rape each year (Gottschall). Also, a study announced in the journal Human Nature states that a single act of rape is more than twice as likely to result in pregnancy than an act of consensual intercourse. Pro-life protestors feel that circumstances of conception do not change the reality that abortion is an act of violence that kills human life. Women, who experience a situation of rape, should not be forced by the law to keep a child conceived by a rapist. Pro-life advocates state that because the rapist is a monster and criminal doesn’t mean that the child conceived should be punished. This concept is wrong and undignified. It is highly probably for a woman with a child conceived by a rapist to have posttraumatic stress disorder for the rest of her life. Another issue that would make illegal abortion immoral is the mother’s or child’s health factor. Drugs can cause health issues that impact a women’s pregnancy. The medical consequences for a mother and her child can become deadly. Intravenous administration of hepatitis B through the use of contaminated needles, and endocarditis can result in newborn’s having a low birth weight, developmental problems, and increased risk of death. Urine toxicology screenings are deciphered as proof of maternal drug abuse. If a mother is found with heroine or cocaine in her system she is reported to child protective services (Chavkin). People abuse substances for a variety of reasons and addiction isn’t easy to overcome. Understanding child neglect laws is noteworthy because they show why abortion should be an option in circumstances such as maternal drug addiction. Neighbors and citizens surely don’t want to experience seeing a child being beaten or verbally assaulted by their drug addict mother. Expectant women rightfully deserve to abort their pregnancies when they are aware that they are unfit to parent or if they know the infants will be born will drugs in their system. Life is a system of physical and mental involvements, it is the existence of an individual, and it is an energy that motivates animate beings. Health factors, unwanted pregnancy, and basic women’s rights impact the legality of abortion. Women are entitled to opt out of pregnancy to preserve their autonomy. The independence to choose their path and future should not be tampered with by law. The ethical principle in pregnancy is the choice that a woman has, to want, care, and love her child; or let go of a fetus that would have had a traumatizing life-style.

Works Cited
Chavkin, Wendy. "Drug Addiction and Pregnancy: Policy Crossroads." Public Health and the Law Vol. 80.No. 4 (1990): Web. 8 Dec 2012.
Gottschall, Tiffani A, and Gottschall, Jonathan A. "Are per-incident rape-pregnancy rates higher than per-incident consensual pregnancy rates?." Human Nature. Volume 14. Issue 1 (2003): pp 1-20. Web.
Jones, EL. "Attitudes To Abortion In The Era Of Reform: Evidence From The Abortion Law Reform Association Correspondence." Women 's History Review 20.2 (2011): 283-298. MEDLINE. Web. 8 Dec. 2012.
Rosen, Rebecca J.. "Consider the Coat Hanger."Theatlantic.com. The Atlantic, 23 2012. Web. 8 Dec 2012.

Cited: Chavkin, Wendy. "Drug Addiction and Pregnancy: Policy Crossroads." Public Health and the Law Vol. 80.No. 4 (1990): Web. 8 Dec 2012. Gottschall, Tiffani A, and Gottschall, Jonathan A. "Are per-incident rape-pregnancy rates higher than per-incident consensual pregnancy rates?." Human Nature. Volume 14. Issue 1 (2003): pp 1-20. Web.  Jones, EL. "Attitudes To Abortion In The Era Of Reform: Evidence From The Abortion Law Reform Association Correspondence." Women 's History Review 20.2 (2011): 283-298. MEDLINE. Web. 8 Dec. 2012. Rosen, Rebecca J.. "Consider the Coat Hanger."Theatlantic.com. The Atlantic, 23 2012. Web. 8 Dec 2012.