Jennifier Bennett
Melynda McBride
English 102
30 October 2024
As long as pregnancy has existed, so has abortion (Winny). Abortion is the one topic that can start an argument just at the mere mention of the word. People tend to choose either a "pro-life" or "pro-choice" stance and neither can easily be persuaded to change their minds. The argument is deep-rooted within people's views of ethics, legalities, and medical care with the main focus being the conflict between the rights of the fetus and the rights of the woman. While there are many strong feelings and beliefs that surround the abortion process, it is still a medical procedure. A medical procedure that is used to save lives regardless of personal beliefs. As a medical procedure, abortion should be made available to all women to protect women's health and fundamental rights.
Abortion is defined by Merriam-Webster's Dictionary as "the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus." The history of abortion has been a bumpy road. There has never been a world where abortion did not exist (Winny). The American Medical Association was formed in 1847 by a group of male-dominated doctors. The members decided that they should have the power to decide when and why an abortion could be legally performed even though these members lacked any expertise in reproductive health or pregnancy. They then launched a campaign to criminalize abortion and state legislatures put the ban into action (Planned Parenthood). By 1930, nearly 1 out of every 5 maternal deaths were due to an illegal, unsafe abortion procedure (Gold). It wasn't until 1973 that the landmark decision was made by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Roe v. Wade case. It was then decided that abortion rights were protected under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. "The Supreme Court recognized for the first time that the constitutional right to privacy is broad enough to encompass a woman's decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy (Planned Parenthood)." Fast forward nearly 50 years later to June 2022, and the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the decades-old decision that was made in Roe v. Wade (Winny). This in turn handed the power to decide back to the states and took away a woman's right to choose.
To understand that abortion is a type of healthcare, it is important to understand what exactly healthcare is. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, healthcare is "efforts made to maintain, restore, or promote someone's physical, mental, or emotional well-being especially when performed by trained and licensed professionals." When someone has a sickness, an injury, or is mentally unwell, generally, they are encouraged to see a doctor or other licensed professional. Whether that ailment is a common cold, a cut, or something more serious, it is widely accepted to seek professional medical help. Seeking to end a pregnancy via an abortion procedure is no different. The World Health Organization states "Healthcare is a fundamental right for all humans." This includes abortion as well as other reproductive health services that are important to one's overall health (World Health Organization). Abortion is a critical aspect of reproductive health, specifically in situations involving unwanted pregnancies, maternal health risks, and fetal anomalies.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists classifies abortion as "a medical procedure that is perfectly safe when performed by a licensed professional." There are many reasons that a woman may seek an abortion beyond an unwanted pregnancy. These reasons can be medical, psychological, or social (Finer, Frohwirth and Dauphinee). These reasons also fit the Merriam-Webster healthcare definition of "someone's physical, mental, or emotional well-being." Around a quarter of women in the U.S. will seek access to abortion care at some point in their lives (The American College or Obstetricians and Gynecologists). Pregnancy and childbirth can be a great health risk to women. In 2021, there were 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in the U.S. For Black women, the number was more than double at 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births (Hoyert, Ph.D.). Providing abortion access to women can help to reduce these numbers. While it is a personal decision, if a patient is informed that their pregnancy puts their own life at risk, they should have the right to decide if they want to continue the pregnancy or terminate it. Much like someone who has been diagnosed with cancer and can choose to undergo chemotherapy or choose to forgo the chemo, if there is a procedure that can save a patient's life, it should only be up to the patient and the medical professional to decide whether to go forward with the treatment or not.
Abortion bans have public health implications. Maternal death rates are 62% higher in abortion-restricted states than in the states where abortion is protected (Declercq, Barnard-Mayers and Zephyrin). Restrictive laws do not equate to fewer abortions. What they do equate to, however, is unsafe abortions. 23,000 women die each year from unsafe abortion procedures (Langer). Women who are denied abortion access are at a higher risk for stress, anxiety, and low self-esteem (Ogbu-Nwobodo, M.D., Shim, M.D. and Vinson, M.D.). It is easy to tell someone what they should do based on personal beliefs, however, when faced with that situation the advice may not be the same. Imagine forcing a woman to carry her rapist's baby. Her bodily autonomy has already been stripped away and being forced to carry the baby only strips away what little autonomy she may have left. What does that do to her mental health? Think of the mom who already has 3 children at home and has found out that carrying her current pregnancy to term gives her a 50% chance of living. Should she be forced to carry the pregnancy and risk her other children growing up without their mother? Then what about the mom who so desperately wanted her baby but has a miscarriage and finds herself bleeding out in the emergency room parking lot? The abortion ban makes the doctors fear performing a D&C which in this instance could save her life. While personal beliefs may make many people oppose abortion, healthcare is not about personal beliefs. It is about protecting the well-being of the patient and abortion procedures when done by a medical professional do just that.
There are also ethical considerations when it comes to abortion access. "The ethical principle of autonomy states that patients are entitled to make decisions about their own medical care when able. (Goldyn)" Denying access to abortion services is an ethical concern regarding the infringement on a woman's right to choose. There is potential psychological harm associated with the forced continuation of unwanted pregnancies (Ogbu-Nwobodo, M.D., Shim, M.D. and Vinson, M.D.). While procedures such as blood donation or even donating a kidney are life-saving ventures, they are not forced upon anyone. So why would it be allowed to force a woman to carry a pregnancy to term when it puts her life at risk?
Public health and ethical implications are not the only considerations that should be made but also socioeconomic implications. In 1972 before Roe v. Wade women only made up 51% of the workforce. Much of this was due in part to the lack of family planning available. Today, women make up 78% of the workforce (Simmons-Duffin and Horsley). Taking away a woman's autonomy could potentially set women back decades (Simmons-Duffin and Horsley). Denying women access to abortion creates economic hardships and often leads to higher poverty levels and more government assistance (Simmons-Duffin and Horsley).
The ongoing political debate over abortion rights showcases the importance of the matter as it pertains to public health. There will never be a moment when both sides of the abortion debate will be happy. However, as a medical procedure, abortion should be protected. Many things would need to happen in order to do this. For the short-term solution, access to abortion care should be increased. Telemedicine could be offered to those who do not live near a clinic. 63% of abortions obtained are completed by taking abortion medication (Diamant, Mohamed and Leppert). Existing clinics could also offer extended hours or even mobile clinics to have further outreach. Public education could help to alleviate the taboo that surrounds abortion. There is a lot of misinformation that paints the abortion procedure as simply "killing babies" but there is so much more to it than that. Including abortion education in the public school health curriculum would help to ensure that both men and women are educated on the topic.
The ultimate goal is finding a long-term solution starting with legislation that provides protection to abortion rights for all women. Federal legislation should be in place to protect these rights. This will end the battle of finding a clinic or having to travel across states to find care. Abortion procedures should also be integrated into comprehensive healthcare. If a person has an infection and their arm needs to be removed before it kills them then they remove the patient's arm if they so desire. Abortion should be treated the same way.
Abortion is not simply a battle between morals and ethics. It is a healthcare issue that affects women's health, autonomy, and well-being. Providing guaranteed access to safe and legal abortions is critical for protecting women's rights and reproductive health. The medical, ethical, public health and socioeconomic implications of restricting abortion access emphasize the essential need to categorize the procedure as comprehensive healthcare.
Melynda McBride
English 102
30 October 2024
The Right to Choose
As long as pregnancy has existed, so has abortion (Winny). Abortion is the one topic that can start an argument just at the mere mention of the word. People tend to choose either a "pro-life" or "pro-choice" stance and neither can easily be persuaded to change their minds. The argument is deep-rooted within people's views of ethics, legalities, and medical care with the main focus being the conflict between the rights of the fetus and the rights of the woman. While there are many strong feelings and beliefs that surround the abortion process, it is still a medical procedure. A medical procedure that is used to save lives regardless of personal beliefs. As a medical procedure, abortion should be made available to all women to protect women's health and fundamental rights.
Abortion is defined by Merriam-Webster's Dictionary as "the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus." The history of abortion has been a bumpy road. There has never been a world where abortion did not exist (Winny). The American Medical Association was formed in 1847 by a group of male-dominated doctors. The members decided that they should have the power to decide when and why an abortion could be legally performed even though these members lacked any expertise in reproductive health or pregnancy. They then launched a campaign to criminalize abortion and state legislatures put the ban into action (Planned Parenthood). By 1930, nearly 1 out of every 5 maternal deaths were due to an illegal, unsafe abortion procedure (Gold). It wasn't until 1973 that the landmark decision was made by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Roe v. Wade case. It was then decided that abortion rights were protected under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. "The Supreme Court recognized for the first time that the constitutional right to privacy is broad enough to encompass a woman's decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy (Planned Parenthood)." Fast forward nearly 50 years later to June 2022, and the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the decades-old decision that was made in Roe v. Wade (Winny). This in turn handed the power to decide back to the states and took away a woman's right to choose.
To understand that abortion is a type of healthcare, it is important to understand what exactly healthcare is. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, healthcare is "efforts made to maintain, restore, or promote someone's physical, mental, or emotional well-being especially when performed by trained and licensed professionals." When someone has a sickness, an injury, or is mentally unwell, generally, they are encouraged to see a doctor or other licensed professional. Whether that ailment is a common cold, a cut, or something more serious, it is widely accepted to seek professional medical help. Seeking to end a pregnancy via an abortion procedure is no different. The World Health Organization states "Healthcare is a fundamental right for all humans." This includes abortion as well as other reproductive health services that are important to one's overall health (World Health Organization). Abortion is a critical aspect of reproductive health, specifically in situations involving unwanted pregnancies, maternal health risks, and fetal anomalies.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists classifies abortion as "a medical procedure that is perfectly safe when performed by a licensed professional." There are many reasons that a woman may seek an abortion beyond an unwanted pregnancy. These reasons can be medical, psychological, or social (Finer, Frohwirth and Dauphinee). These reasons also fit the Merriam-Webster healthcare definition of "someone's physical, mental, or emotional well-being." Around a quarter of women in the U.S. will seek access to abortion care at some point in their lives (The American College or Obstetricians and Gynecologists). Pregnancy and childbirth can be a great health risk to women. In 2021, there were 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in the U.S. For Black women, the number was more than double at 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births (Hoyert, Ph.D.). Providing abortion access to women can help to reduce these numbers. While it is a personal decision, if a patient is informed that their pregnancy puts their own life at risk, they should have the right to decide if they want to continue the pregnancy or terminate it. Much like someone who has been diagnosed with cancer and can choose to undergo chemotherapy or choose to forgo the chemo, if there is a procedure that can save a patient's life, it should only be up to the patient and the medical professional to decide whether to go forward with the treatment or not.
Abortion bans have public health implications. Maternal death rates are 62% higher in abortion-restricted states than in the states where abortion is protected (Declercq, Barnard-Mayers and Zephyrin). Restrictive laws do not equate to fewer abortions. What they do equate to, however, is unsafe abortions. 23,000 women die each year from unsafe abortion procedures (Langer). Women who are denied abortion access are at a higher risk for stress, anxiety, and low self-esteem (Ogbu-Nwobodo, M.D., Shim, M.D. and Vinson, M.D.). It is easy to tell someone what they should do based on personal beliefs, however, when faced with that situation the advice may not be the same. Imagine forcing a woman to carry her rapist's baby. Her bodily autonomy has already been stripped away and being forced to carry the baby only strips away what little autonomy she may have left. What does that do to her mental health? Think of the mom who already has 3 children at home and has found out that carrying her current pregnancy to term gives her a 50% chance of living. Should she be forced to carry the pregnancy and risk her other children growing up without their mother? Then what about the mom who so desperately wanted her baby but has a miscarriage and finds herself bleeding out in the emergency room parking lot? The abortion ban makes the doctors fear performing a D&C which in this instance could save her life. While personal beliefs may make many people oppose abortion, healthcare is not about personal beliefs. It is about protecting the well-being of the patient and abortion procedures when done by a medical professional do just that.
There are also ethical considerations when it comes to abortion access. "The ethical principle of autonomy states that patients are entitled to make decisions about their own medical care when able. (Goldyn)" Denying access to abortion services is an ethical concern regarding the infringement on a woman's right to choose. There is potential psychological harm associated with the forced continuation of unwanted pregnancies (Ogbu-Nwobodo, M.D., Shim, M.D. and Vinson, M.D.). While procedures such as blood donation or even donating a kidney are life-saving ventures, they are not forced upon anyone. So why would it be allowed to force a woman to carry a pregnancy to term when it puts her life at risk?
Public health and ethical implications are not the only considerations that should be made but also socioeconomic implications. In 1972 before Roe v. Wade women only made up 51% of the workforce. Much of this was due in part to the lack of family planning available. Today, women make up 78% of the workforce (Simmons-Duffin and Horsley). Taking away a woman's autonomy could potentially set women back decades (Simmons-Duffin and Horsley). Denying women access to abortion creates economic hardships and often leads to higher poverty levels and more government assistance (Simmons-Duffin and Horsley).
The ongoing political debate over abortion rights showcases the importance of the matter as it pertains to public health. There will never be a moment when both sides of the abortion debate will be happy. However, as a medical procedure, abortion should be protected. Many things would need to happen in order to do this. For the short-term solution, access to abortion care should be increased. Telemedicine could be offered to those who do not live near a clinic. 63% of abortions obtained are completed by taking abortion medication (Diamant, Mohamed and Leppert). Existing clinics could also offer extended hours or even mobile clinics to have further outreach. Public education could help to alleviate the taboo that surrounds abortion. There is a lot of misinformation that paints the abortion procedure as simply "killing babies" but there is so much more to it than that. Including abortion education in the public school health curriculum would help to ensure that both men and women are educated on the topic.
The ultimate goal is finding a long-term solution starting with legislation that provides protection to abortion rights for all women. Federal legislation should be in place to protect these rights. This will end the battle of finding a clinic or having to travel across states to find care. Abortion procedures should also be integrated into comprehensive healthcare. If a person has an infection and their arm needs to be removed before it kills them then they remove the patient's arm if they so desire. Abortion should be treated the same way.
Abortion is not simply a battle between morals and ethics. It is a healthcare issue that affects women's health, autonomy, and well-being. Providing guaranteed access to safe and legal abortions is critical for protecting women's rights and reproductive health. The medical, ethical, public health and socioeconomic implications of restricting abortion access emphasize the essential need to categorize the procedure as comprehensive healthcare.
