While abortion has strong arguments against it, any and every woman should have the right to decide what they want to do with their bodies. While I agree abortion should have certain limitations, banning abortion entirely has more negative consequences than most people think, and it is simply against basic human rights.
Consider this, a 16-year-old cannot legally adopt a child because they would not be financially capable to care for it legally, nor would they be mature enough to raise a child. However, if a 16-year-old were to get pregnant, she could also be prohibited from aborting the child, even if for the same reason.
There are many different reasons why women look to abortions including pregnancy resulting from sexual assault, risk of the mother’s health and more. If we take away a woman’s right to have an abortion in these situations, some women would still need an abortion, regardless, and look to other unsafe options.
According to John Wells of Amnesty International, approximately 22 million unsafe abortions take place every year, and unsafe abortions are the third-leading cause of maternal deaths worldwide.
Unsafe abortion statistics are increasingly significant in countries where safe abortions are either limited or banned. This proves banning abortion is more than just about the child’s life, but the mother’s as well.
While many argue the fetus has the human right to life, you must consider the mother’s right to life as well. The fetus must be carried in its mother’s body because it cannot live on its own.
Therefore, just as anyone can decide if they want to donate their organs, the mother should be allowed to decide if she wants give up her body to carry a child. Bearing children always threatens a woman’s health by possibly causing high blood pressure, anemia, preeclampsia and several other labor complications.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 830 women die from pregnancy- or childbirth-related causes every day. Although most complications can be contributed to low resources, it does not change the fact childbirth puts many women at risk, and women should be able to decide what is worth their life.
Adoption is also a commonly argued alternative to abortion in many pro-life arguments. While it can be great alternative, it is simply not a reliable alternative for several reasons.
According to Adoption Network, over 428,000 children are in foster care in the U.S., and about 135,000 of them get adopted each year. That leaves approximately 300,000 uncared for children stuck in the system each year, and 20% of them never get adopted. I personally believe bringing an unwanted child into the world can be more dangerous than not at all.
These unwanted children usually face abuse throughout their lives, whether it is from their birth parents, adoptive parents or the emotional abuse of being in a system where you have no real home.
Therefore, with these statistics and relying on adoption, banning abortion would only increase the amount of unwanted children in our system. Also, if someone cannot adopt a child because they are not capable of properly caring for it, then why should we prohibit abortion against someone in the same state?
While I love life, people and children, I do not believe banning abortion should be enforced in our laws. There are many other ways we can try to decrease abortion, including enforcing safe sex and abstinence education. One mistake should not define a woman’s life, and she should definitely have the right to decide what is best for her and her body.
