Ethics Of Abortion

The issue of abortion is an ongoing debate in the U.S, that involves a variety of moral, social, and legal issues. The ethics surrounding the procedure are frequently disputed and people often question whether abortion should remain a legal option for terminating pregnancies. Proponents of abortion, favor unrestricted access and contend that it’s a woman’s right to choose what she does with her body. On the other hand, opponents seek to ban the practice and argue that deliberately ending an unborn child’s life is morally wrong. While abortion provides essential medical and social benefits to women, it also deprives an innocent child of the right to life.
Abortion is the deliberate termination of an unwanted pregnancy, which requires either

During the 18th century, abortions were legal and widely accepted as a way of life in the U.S. In fact, during this time women had the freedom to access abortions with virtually no restrictions. Beginning in the early 19th century, states started passing laws that criminalized the practice. In 1821, Connecticut enacted the first anti abortion law in U.S. history, which was intended to protect women from unsafe abortion procedures. Women were only permitted to have abortions if their life or health was in jeopardy. Connecticut's law on abortion served as a precedent for other states to follow. By 1965, all 50 states had laws that considered abortion a criminal offense (“Abortion” 3). However, women still sought out illegal abortions, which were extremely dangerous. As the Women’s Rights Movement gained traction in the 1960’s, feminists began lobbying for abortion

Prior to the Roe v. Wade decision, women were forced to resort to unsafe, illegal abortions. Often times, these procedures were performed by untrained individuals in unsanitary conditions. As a result of these illegal procedures, thousands of women died or were left physically harmed. In addition, unsafe abortion increases the risk of complications associated with subsequent pregnancies. Modern abortion procedures performed by trained professionals are generally safe and rarely cause any harm to the woman. In fact, legal abortion is proven to be one of the safest forms of surgeries available (“Abortion” 1). According to the World Health Organization, 21.6 million women had illegal abortions in 2008. An estimated 47,000 women died as a result, and thousands more suffered injuries. These deaths could have easily been prevented if abortion was legal worldwide (“Abortion is a Human Right” 1). People will have abortions no matter what the circumstances, but legalizing the practice has proven to significantly benefit women and save thousands of