Why the Decision of Abortion Should be of the Mother and Not the US Supreme Court
Whether abortion should be the mother’s or the supreme court’s decision remains unanswered since people react differently. Abortion is among the most debatable topics in the United States. Several years ago, when the practice was unlawful, several women died for trying to terminate the baby’s life themselves or under unprofessional care. The US supreme court legalized abortion on 22nd January 1973 during the Roe v. Wade case. Since then, the fifty states have implemented policies constraining contact to abortion services. This has saved many women’s lives and should be legalized. In the whole abortion argument, both sides of argument are good, although the mother should be the one to decide whether to abort or it should be the decision of the supreme court. Although several individuals oppose abortion, it should be legalized since women have full rights over their bodies, which is the key to individual freedom.
Abortion is defined as a medical procedure that terminates a pregnancy and is identified as the primary component of reproductive health services. The different states are enacting policies restricting access to safe abortions (Pabayo et al.,2). Women in society believe they should be responsible for making life-altering decisions about their bodies. Within society, there is a controversy between those who are against the idea and those who support it. Whether a woman decides to carry her pregnancy to term or not, there are consequences. The impacts can be psychological, social, or physical. Thus the woman should decide the sequences they can sustain. Therefore, women should be able to access safe health services. The right to choose what happens to one’s health is an American right every individual should be granted.
Besides abortion being legalized, some individuals choose pro-life and need to save the lives of the unborn. Those who consider abortion tolerable have many reasons for their assumption. Some claim that pregnancies may result from crimes like incest, child abuse, or rape. Hence abortion is the best choice for the mother since the pregnancy was an accident. Mothers in such situations may not want to take responsibility for caring for these babies. Although policymakers should consider women’s age when allowing them to make such decisions (Pereira et al., 3). For instance, if a thirteen-year-old becomes pregnant, it should not be her mistake. Thus she should not be stressed about having a baby. These minors should obtain their parent’s consent before they terminate their pregnancies (Coleman‐Minahan et al., 1). Some victims of such unlawful acts do not wish to conduct an abortion but end up doing it because of pressure. Since some believe that good can ensue from evil, they decide to keep the pregnancy to term. Indeed, women should make their own decisions regarding any form of abortion.
Allowing mothers to make their personal decisions on abortions will significantly reduce the number of unwanted babies, thus preventing the tragic rise of child abuse. If abortions are illegal everywhere, with no exceptions, there will be several unwanted pregnancies. Before its legalization, medical practitioners were conducting it illegally, and once it was accepted, the number of abortions became high across the different states. Civic organizations and Faith-Based Organizations, as well as families, should support victims of early pregnancies. Several factors at varying levels influence the decisions. At a personal level, the factors could be one’s marital status (Frederico et al.,1). Women should be allowed to decide whether to keep pregnancies to term.
The action by the US supreme court to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision on the legalization of abortion is likely to harm many women. The ruling affects when, how, and under what conditions individuals can parent, which could permanently affect their careers and personal lives. Some experts argue that the decision will entirely demean women’s abilities to participate in the economy. Restriction to abortion pushes girls and women towards practicing unsafe abortions leading to complications or even loss of life and subsequently affecting most marginalized and poorest communities. The supreme court was releasing absurd pain and damage on girls, pregnant persons, and women for no reason but the urge to have control of their bodies and the decision-making surrounding their sovereignty (Gostin et al.,1).
Terminating pregnancy is among the most socially disputed choices in women’s health. The stigma associated with unwanted pregnancies may lead to the termination of such pregnancies among the victims. Strategies should be enacted to increase women’s sovereignty in making decisions concerning abortion. Furthermore, they should be informed about laws governing abortion and the recommended and legal practices regarding abortion. The decision may have long-term consequences; thus, women should be educated on matters relating to abortions before taking it as a personal initiative.
Works Cited APA
Coleman‐Minahan, Kate, et al. “Adolescents obtaining abortion without parental consent: their reasons and experiences of social support.” Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health 52.1 (2020): 1-8.
Frederico, Mónica, et al. “Factors influencing abortion decision-making processes among young women.” International journal of environmental research and public health 15.2 (2018): 1-2.
Gostin, Lawrence O., and Rebecca B. Reingold. “Ending the constitutional right to abortion in the United States.” BMJ 1-3 (2022).
Pabayo, Roman, et al. “Laws restricting access to abortion services and infant mortality risk in the United States.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17.11 (2020): 1-6
Pereira, Joana, Raquel Pires, and Maria Cristina Canavarro. “Decision-making trajectories leading to termination of an unplanned pregnancy: specificities among adolescent and adult women.” Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology 37.3 (2019): 1-4.
