Why Abortion Should Not Be Banned
| Subject: | 🏥 Health Care |
| Type: | Analytical Essay |
| Pages: | 3 |
| Word count: | 809 |
| Topics: | 👨🏼⚕️ Abortion, Ethics, 👧🏻 Pro-Life Abortion, 🤷🏻♀️ Ethical Dilemma |
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Table of Contents
One of the main issues of concern today is inevitable abortion since it is only about morality which most individuals tend to pay attention to. Abortion is a procedure meant to end pregnancy. It is, in some cases, considered a basic need for girls, women, and other genders capable of getting pregnant access to abortion services has become one of the most discussed topics worldwide. The discussion is, however, surrounded by much misinformation concerning the real consequences of restricting abortion as a basic healthcare service. However, it is essential to consider the fact that abortion is necessary in several cases. Some reasons why abortion should not be banned are; the risks that pregnancy poses to the mother, forcing a woman to continue carrying a pregnancy can be termed as a violation of her rights, and that abortion is solely an individual’s choice and should therefore not be banned.
Banning Abortion is a Way of Preventing Healthcare Providers from Offering Basic Care
Banning abortion or illegalizing it hinders healthcare providers from effectively carrying out their duties and offering their clients the best medical care options in line with their ethical responsibilities and good practice. Illegalizing abortion can result in an effect where the medical caregivers may not be able to understand the bounds of the set regulations (Foster, 2022). The caregivers may apply the laws more narrowly than what is required by the law. Such a scenario may happen for various reasons, such as fear of being held as a criminal, stigmatization related to abortion, personal beliefs, and negative stereotypes about girls and women (Stevenson et al., 2022). The restrictions can also prevent women and girls from finding the much-required post-abortion care for complications resulting from unsafe abortions, among other complications related to pregnancy.
Illegalizing Abortion Can Be a Form of Discrimination That Enhances Stigmatization among Victims
Most critics of laws against abortion have argued that the laws foster much discrimination against girls and women. The rules are set to be applied only to women and girls who can get pregnant hence discriminating against those who are transgender, lesbians, or bisexuals, and especially because these groups of people have consistently battled with other gendered forms of discrimination (Amnesty International, 2022). Besides, the stigma surrounding gender stereotyping and abortion is directly associated with the illegalization of abortion, among other restrictive abortion policies and laws (Cullen & Korolczuk, 2019). Therefore, the perception that abortion is immoral or illegal results in stigmatizing girls and women by healthcare providers and the judiciary, among other bodies in the government and society at large. As a result, girls and women who undergo abortion procedures are at a higher risk of being exposed to harassment and discrimination.
Having Access to Abortion Is Part of Human Rights
Access to different services related to abortion is a human right; therefore, abortion should not be banned or criminalized. Based on human rights law, everyone has the right to be free from violence, to life, from discrimination, and to be free from degrading and inhuman treatment (Amnesty International, 2022). These rights highlight that decisions concerning one’s body are theirs alone, and therefore, individuals have autonomy over whatever they choose to do with their bodies. That means luring an individual to carry out unwanted pregnancies or even forcing them to go for unsafe abortions can be termed as a violation of their rights, such as rights to dowdily autonomy and privacy. Ensuring access to abortion is associated with upholding and protecting human rights for girls and women, among other people who are capable of becoming pregnant,
Banning Abortion Is Likely to Harm Women and Negatively affect the Economic Security of their Families
Banning abortions can adversely impact women and most families’ economic status. Several research studies have confirmed the availability of a direct connection between legalizing abortion and advancement among women (Hoffman & Salas-Betsch, 2022). The studies’ findings confirm the positive impacts of legalizing abortion on economic indicators such as educational attainment, child poverty, labor participation, and earnings. If women are not provided with abortion services, their economic status and that of their families will be adversely affected. The same impact may be evident in local and state economies resulting in major financial losses (Moore et al., 2021). In America, states that have criminalized abortion are already experiencing worse outcomes, both economically and in their health sectors especially for women and their families countrywide.
Conclusion
There are several reasons why abortion should not be banned. Banning or illegalizing abortion violates human rights, enhances discrimination and stigmatization, and restricts healthcare providers from offering basic care. If the government wants to increase birth rates, other actions can be undertaken to encourage individuals to have more children other than banning abortion. Besides, suppose the government wants to limit the number of abortions conducted, there are also effective measures that can be implemented other than violating women’s rights to make choices concerning their reproductive health.
- Amnesty International (2022). Key facts on abortion. Amnesty International https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/sexual-and-reproductive-rights/abortion-facts/
- Cullen, P., & Korolczuk, E. (2019). Challenging abortion stigma: framing abortion in Ireland and Poland. Sexual And Reproductive Health Matters 27 (3), 6-19 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/26410397.2019.1686197
- Foster, G. D. (2022). New abortion bans will increase existing health and economic disparities. American Journal of Public Health 112 (9), 1276-1277 https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2022.306993
- Hoffman, L., & Salas-Betsch, B. (2022, August 25). State abortion bans will harm women and families’ economic security across the US. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/state-abortion-bans-will-harm-women-and-families-economic-security-across-the-us/
- Moore, B., Poss, C., Coast, E., Lattof, S. R., & Rodgers. M. Y. (2021). The economics of abortion and its links with stigma: a secondary analysis from a scoping review on the economics of abortion. PloS One 16(2), e026238 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0246238
- Stevenson, J. A., Root, L., & Menken, J. (2022). The maternal mortality consequences of losing abortion access https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/7g29k/
Offered for reference purposes only.