Abortion
What is the question?: There are really two, different, very active abortion questions: What is the best (or least awful) option? If a woman finds herself pregnant, and does not want to be, what is the best (or least worst) solution for her, the potential newborn that she is carrying, and all the other people involved -- including her boyfriend or husband and their families?
1) To take no action, have the baby and raise it herself (hopefully with support from others).
2) To take no action, give birth, and give the baby up for adoption.
3) To have an abortion and terminate the pregnancy.
Should the state overrule the woman's or couple's decision? If a woman finds herself pregnant, discusses her options with her physician, perhaps her spiritual counselor, and the other people involved, and decides to have an abortion, should the state override her decision and prevent her from proceeding? That is, should the state have a policy of enforced parenthood for all or most pregnant women?
The first decision is a personal one, between the woman, her physician and/or counselor. The second decision has been answered by the U.S. Supreme Court: since 1973 she has the right to obtain an early abortion. It is in this second area where there is a great deal of political activity, at least in the U.S.
How often: In the United States, women choose to end about 25% of their pregnancies through abortion. 1 This number has been gradually declining since 1979. This is similar to the Canadian figure of 21%, 2 but is much lower than that of the former Soviet Union (60%) and Romania (78%) where contraceptives remain in short supply. 3
Opposing beliefs: A consensus exists among both pro-lifers and pro-choicers that when human personhood starts, the person must be protected. Many religions, organizations and individuals have passionately held conflicting beliefs about when this happens. This naturally leads to...
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