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Research Essay

Samantha Liz

English 10100

Professor Kevaughn Hunter

Research Essay

October 23, 2019

 

 

The decision on whether or not a woman wants to have an abortion is up to the mother. Many women will decide to have an abortion because they feel they are too young; they probably do not have enough money to raise the child or they do not have enough support. Many reasons can lead to an abortion which can cause a good or bad outcome. Abortion is still a debate on whether abortion should be legal or not. Before you think about having an abortion keep reading to see if an abortion is the right decision for you, considering the effects it might have on you.

Abortion is a medical procedure that will terminate a pregnancy which is most likely to happen during the first twenty-eight weeks of pregnancy. Abortion started around the mid 1800s, but it was very risky at the time due to the low amount of knowledge that medical professionals had. When a country bans abortion it can create new problems that people did not see coming. In the 1900s abortion was banned in Alabama because people believed that abortion is not right and it should not happen. This decision on abortion being banned led to many deaths in women because of women trying to end their own pregnancy. According to Amy Mackinnon in “What Actually Happens When a Country Bans Abortion”, Mackinnon states, “yet Romania’s prohibition of the procedure was disproportionately felt by low-income women and disadvantage groups, which abortion-rights advocates in the United States fear would happen if Alabama law came into force.” At this time many people believed that the abortion law will mainly affect low income women and disadvantage women because they are not able to take care of the child financially or because of their health. Mackinnon proceeds to state “As last resort, many Romanian women turned to home and back-alley abortions and by 1989, an estimated 10,000 women had died as a result of unsafe procedures.” Since abortion was illegalized, women who were seeking abortion decided to try and end their pregnancy by doing procedures that has caused them to die. This is bad because that is a large amount of women that had died around the year of 1989 because of abortion illegal.

Many women believe that abortion should be legal but many of them don’t know what the outcome will be. They might just think that they won’t have to worry about a child, but do not really consider their health. According to Jennifer Kat in “Supporting Women Coping with Emotional Distress After Abortion” Kat states “ In the early 1990s, Vincent Rue proposed the existence of post-abortion syndrome (PSA), a variant of post-traumatic stress disorder”. It is shown that in the early 1900s that Vincent Rue, a psychotherapist, came to a clear understanding that women who receive an abortion deal with post-traumatic stress. Kat also states, “ abortion patients may experience feelings of sadness, guilt, anger and other signs of emotional distress after their pregnancy is terminated” . Based on the information she has gathered it is clear that in some cases women who undergo an abortion have many emotional issues after a pregnancy is terminated.

While in the 1900s people believed that abortion is bad because of the low knowledge that doctors had people still are starting to believe that the facts that was shown in the late 1900s was wrong due to studies that was made in the 2000s. Even though a major key factor for abortion being illegal which is murder of a baby in a womb studies have created more of a reason for people to make abortion legal. According to NBC news, Maggie Fox states in “Abortion in the U.S.:Five key facts”, Fox states “ studies have also debunked the argument that abortions raise the risk of depression or breast cancer.” Fox is explaining that while many people believe that abortion causes depression it in fact does not cause depression or breast cancer which is more of a reason for a women to receive abortion.

Abortion then soon became a debate in 1973, the supreme court case Roe vs Wade on whether or not abortion should be legal or not. Many people believe abortion should not be legal because it is considered murder, but others beg to differ considering the fact that there can be unplanned pregnancies, rape or other important reasons to not have a child at the time. Many people believe that a pregnancy should be terminated because of what it can force you to do. Many people believe that in order to have a baby with a partner, it must be during marriage, and if you are not married and a baby is brought upon you, marriage should happen right away. In the Roe vs Wade supreme court decision, Roe, a young woman, who believed that abortion should not be illegal, fought for the right that women should not be forced upon early marriage or motherhood. According to “The New Yorker” Katha Pollitt wrote a magazine article called “How the Right to Legal Abortion Changed the Arc of all Women’s Lives” in which she states, “ the Roe decision in 1973 afforded thousands upon thousands of teen-agers a chance to avoid early marriage and motherhood.” This decision helped many women not be forced upon early marriages or motherhood especially at a young age. The Roe vs Wade supreme court ruling ended with the decision that abortion should be legal and that the women has the right to decide if she should get an abortion.

While many women receive post- traumatic stress disorder other women seem just fine. According to “Psychological Responses of Women After First- Trimester Abortion” Brenda Major, PhD states “Two years post abortion, 301 (72%) of 418 women were satisfied with their decision; 306 (69%) of 441 said they would have the abortion again; 315 (72%) of 440 reported more benefit than harm from their abortion; and 308 (80%) of 386 were not depressed”. A study was made on these women two years after the abortions occurred to see how women felt after the abortion. By a major outcome 72% of the women apart of that study felt satisfied with their decision. She then proceeds to state “Six (1%) of 442 reported post-traumatic stress disorder. Depression decreased and self-esteem increased from pre abortion to post abortion, but negative emotions from this exam that happened in the year 2000, it shows that a very little percent of women suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder”. It is very known from the study that women enjoyed their decision on abortion and did not suffer bad consequences from it.

Many people also believe that abortion should not take place because of what happens when the pregnancy termination is in processes. The  abortion process happens when the doctors insert a special instrument called a forceps through the women cervix and into the womb which terminates the pregnancy. According to Beth Kruse in “Management of side effects and complications in medical abortion”, Kruse states “ side effects are an expected part of medical abortion; some, such as pain and bleeding, result from the abortion process itself.” During the abortion it is shown that women do experience an effect which causes a bleeding in the women womb .  Kruse proceeds to state “ Overall approximately 2% to 10% of patients will require surgical intervention for control of bleeding, resolution of incomplete expulsion, or termination of continuing pregnancy.” While 2% to 10 may not seem like a lot, the women in that percentage are suffering from pain because along with the procedure of the abortion a surgery is also taking place in order to prevent more damage being done apart from the bleeding.

As I mentioned before women may not want a child due to not having enough money to take care of the baby. A 5 year study was done on women who decided to get an abortion and women who decided to not get an abortion. Diana Greene Foster states in “Effects of Carrying an Unwanted Pregnancy to Term on Women’s Existing Children”, Foster states “ From 6 months to 4.5 years after their mothers sought abortions, existing children of women denied abortions had lower mean child development scores (adjusted β −0.04, 95% CI −0.07 to −0.00) and were more likely to live below the Federal Poverty Level (aOR 3.74, 95% CI 1.59-8.79) than the children of women who received a wanted abortion.” With the study that was done it showed that women who denied an abortion are struggling financially because of not having enough money and trying to take care of their babies. She then proceeds to state “ denying women a wanted abortion may have negative developmental and socioeconomic consequences for their existing children.” This study shows that women who denied abortion are having a negative effects in their lives that is effecting their own children

Now that I have explained to you both the positive and bad effects on an abortion, its time to make a decision. What people now in days need to realize is that a person should be able to make a decision for themselves. While the United States does have a president that helps makes decision for our country we all have a voice and and that voice should be used and heard. In my opinion I believe that abortion should be legal. The reason for my decision on abortion being legal it is because women are never heard. When an abortion is taking place the women should decide if they want to have a baby or not because they are carrying the baby for 9 months and after that their lives are completely changed unless you give the baby up for adoption. I do believe adoption is a good way for a woman to continue on with her pregnancy and not “murder” her baby but as I mentioned before you are carrying the baby for 9 months and that is hard work especially when it comes to giving birth.  I also believe abortion should be legal because many teen pregnancies is occurring now in the 21th century and that teen may not have all the support that they need whether it is financially, family support or partner support. My decision is made and now its time for you to make your decision.

The decision is now in your hands on whether or not you believe abortion should be illegal or not. We all have a voice and we should use it whether it is by protesting, posing on social media, talking to the news or just having a conversation about it. Abortion is a big deal and whether you believe that abortion is “murder” or not your decision on taking care of a baby for the rest of your life is up to you. Adoption can be an alternative but you may have some regrets in the future. If you are going to make a decision today, make that decision based on the information you are receiving and not what you are being forced to say. While our president is deciding that abortion should be illegal use your voice and go wit what you believe in and not what the president or anyone else believes.

 

 

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