First Draft of Literature Review

Legalized Abortion

            Why is legalized abortion such a controversial issue? Is it a human at conception or not until the fetus is fully developed? Is taking away abortion also taking away a woman’s right to her body and choice? These are just some of the common strongly debated questions asked since the legalization of abortion on January 22, 1973. Since the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, abortion has become a much divided opinion for everyone. Forty-three years later, eight Supreme Court justices are hearing arguments in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, the Texas abortion case that will determine the fate of reproductive rights in America.  

Pro-Life, Pro-Choice, and Feminist View

            One of the biggest reasons abortion has come into question on its legalization, is because of the very large, active opposing or supporting movements arguing their views on the topic. The Pro-Life movement within the United States was created to protest abortion legalization. This is a social and political anti-abortion movement that has brought rise to a different understanding of abortion. Their stance is that abortion is killing of an innocent human who does not have the ability to make a choice in the matter (Githens, McBride-Stetson, 7). “Because the pro-life movement grounded its arguments in the language of human value and constitutional rights, it was able to attract a politically and religiously diverse coalition that actually gained strength over time,” (Williams).

  Feminist viewpoint has also had similar opinions on the issue of abortion. Feminism is a philosophy that embraces basic rights for all humans without exception (Foster). Early American feminist, Susan B. Anthony argued, “Perhaps there will come a day when...an unmarried mother will not be despised because of her motherhood...and when the right of the unborn to be born will not be denied or interfered with” (Foster). Despise the few rights early American woman had during this time, feminists in the 1800s still believed in the worth of all human lives. What early feminists called a horrible crime, the second wave of feminists prior to the 1970’s saw differently. The second feminist movement began to embrace abortion as the most fundamental right of a woman (Foster). Roe v. Wade pro-abortion attorney, Sarah Weddington, argued the discrimination and other injustices women had to face while being pregnant and going to school or being poor. She did not state that these injustices be improved, but instead, “Demanded for women the “right” to submit to these injustices by destroying their pregnancies…that women need “relief” from pregnancy, instead of arguing that women need relief from these injustices” (Foster). This argument alone changed many women’s opposition solely in the relation to discriminating. The outcome of the court case is also where a large amount of women turn to pro-choice (Githens, McBride-Stetson, 10).

The pro-choice movement is a sociopolitical movement supporting women’s legal right to an elective abortion or to their body choices (Githens, McBride-Stetson, 11). Unlike the pro-life movement, the pro-choice movement supports abortion to the extent that it is the woman’s right to her body choices. This also is implying how pro-choice does not believe that it is a killing of another human being. Pro-life defines the fetus as a living human being at the start of conception (Williams). These opposite understandings of pregnancy is one on of the most important reasons as to why abortion is such a controversial and continually rising issue in the United States.

Policies and Medical Views

            There are many state and federal policies for abortion within the United States. NAF State Policy Department works to ensure that voices of the patients and providers are heard at a state level (Education and Advocacy). “More than 500 bills limiting women’s access to abortion are filed in state legislatures every year, and more than 350 anti-choice bills have become law in the past decade,” (Education and Advocacy). This has become another issue on how abortion is being attacked in the U.S. In the last three years, more than 200 anti-abortion laws were enacted at the state level (Githlens, McBride-Setson, 20). Many of these laws are called Targeted Regulations of Abortion Providers, or TRAP laws (Education and Advocacy). The National Abortion Federation State Policy Department continues to fight to stop anti-choice legislators from trying to pass these “unconstitutional” and to bring help more access for abortion to all women.

While State laws are only legal within each state, federal policies are being made to further defend and expand women’s access to providers through government relations. “Introduced in November of last year by pro-choice champions in the House and Senate, the Women’s Health Protection act would create Federal protections against TRAP laws and other anti-abortion laws,” (Education and Advocacy).

Medically, both the fetus and the newborn certainly are human beings and potential persons, but neither is a ‘person’ in the sense of ‘subject of a moral right to life’ (Minerva). They are potential persons in a sense that they can develop those properties to make them ‘persons’, or at which they will be able to appreciate their own life. “The alleged right of individuals (such as fetuses and newborns) to develop their potentiality….is over-ridden by the interests of actual people (parents, family, society) to pursue their own well-being…merely potential people cannot be harmed by not being brought into existence” (Minerva). Many medical professionals have recognized the need for guidelines in hopeless prognosis cases where abortion is the best interest instead of a newborn experiencing unbearable suffering (Githens, McBride-Stetson, 26).

Effects of Abortion v. Miscarriage

            There are many side effects that can come with having an abortion. It is also different for every patient and can become long-term or severe. The possibility that abortion can lead to mental consequences has been widely investigated in the last few years (Bellieni, Buonocore). Depression, anxiety disorders (e.g. post-traumatic stress disorder), and substance abuse disorders are among the most common studied outcome. “The same concerns apply also to miscarriage...therefore psychological support has been advocated for women who experience a fetal loss, either induced or involuntary” (Bellieni, Buonocore). More studies have shown that in comparing abortion and miscarriage effects, higher risk of suicide ideation, depression, substance abuse, anxiety, and risk of subsequently low self-esteem are from patients who have gotten an abortion. A big difference in effects is abortion seems to have more long-term effects while miscarriage has more short-term (Bellieni, Buonocore).  Although these studies have shown a variety of effects, almost ninety-five percent of women who have gotten an abortion say that it was the right decision and they do not regret it (Githens, McBride-Stetson, 31).

Conclusion

Abortion has become a very controversial issue since its legalization. While there are many opinions, whether religious, medical, or political, there seems to be no ‘correct’ answer to if it is morally right. A woman who chooses to have an abortion does so for many different reasons based on her individual circumstance. One in three women will have an abortion by age forty-five because of the safest medical procedure provided in the United States. Although abortion is being strongly fought against continuously, it still remains legal and accessible in the U.S. for all women today.

           

           

References

Bellieni, C. V., MD, & Buonocore, G., Md, PhD. (2013, July 16). Abortion and

Subsequent Mental Health: Review of the Literature. Retrieved March 09, 2016, from

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pcn.12067/full#pcn12067-bib-0042

Education & Advocacy – National Abortion Federation. (1996, September). Retrieved March

 08, 2016, from http://prochoice.org/education-and-advocacy/

Foster, S. M. (2015, January 07). The Feminist Case Against Abortion. Retrieved March 09,

            2016, from http://americamagazine.org/issue/feminist-case-against-abortion

Githens, Marianne, and Dorothy McBride-Stetson. "Abortion Politics." Public Policy in Cross-Cultural Perspective.  (2010): 1-31. Web.

 Retrieved 09 Mar. 2016.

Minerva, F., Dr. (2012, February 23). After-birth abortion: Why should the baby live? Retrieved

 March 09, 2016, from http://jme.bmj.com/content/early/2012/03/01/medethics-2011-100411.full

Williams, D. K. (2016, January 4). What You Don't Know About the Abortion Fight Before Roe

            v. Wade. Retrieved March 09, 2016, from http://time.com/4154084/anti-abortion-pre-roe/