Abortion: pro-choice

Abortion: Pro-choice
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Abortion: Pro-choice
Abstract
The issue of whether to abort or not has been debated for years. Activists campaigning for or against abortion have hit the deadlines for years. While a majority of people are against the issue of abortion, abortion has been accepted globally for a number of circumstances. Abortion for medical reasons is a widely accepted reason for procuring an abortion (en la Atención Primaria & y Beneficios, 2009). However, most of the abortions procured globally do not have a medical basis, but are procured as a result of unintended pregnancies. The political scene has also been shaped by the pro-life or pro-choice issue with major political parties being split along these options. While it is logical to use medical and cultural arguments to base our reasons for arguing either for or against abortion, the woman remains the chief party in the abortion discussion and their needs should come first. This essay discusses the issue of abortion with the bias towards the pro-choice argument.
The issue of Abortion has been a matter of debate for decades and still continues to shape the modern political landscape. While some people support abortion and believe that the women should maintain the right to choose whether to perform an abortion or not, others think that abortion can only be performed on medical grounds. Personally, the abortion decision should be the affected woman’s decision. The two sides of the debate inform the pro-choice and the pro-life activism that has continued to define families and childbirth.

In this essay, both sides of the debate will be examined via the argumentative approach taken by two articles that have, specifically, been chosen for this purpose. Both points of view, pro-life and pro-choice arguments, will be considered before a personal opinion on the matter concludes the paper.
In the first article entitled, ‘Medical abortion in primary care: Pitfalls and benefits,’ the issue of abortion has been discussed in detail. The article discusses five main pitfalls that should discourage the abortion notion. These five pitfalls have been identified as; long-term vaginal blood loss, non-termination of ectopic pregnancy after a misoprostol, uterus myomatatosus patients, and repetitive misoprostol as a result of retained products in the uterus (en la Atención Primaria & y Beneficios, 2009). The article uses several cases to define the argument against procuring an abortion. Retained products in the uterus and allergic reaction to some of the drugs, such as methotrexate, have been identified as the main concerns that challenge the safety of the abortion process. However, the article also notes that the abortion process is safe and has a success rate of over 91% without future complications, an encouraging statistic from my personal point of view. The article proposes that the advantages of abortion, especially in countries that have not legalized abortion, far outweigh the disadvantages that accrue from the process (en la Atención Primaria & y Beneficios, 2009)
In the second article, entitled ‘Unsafe Abortion: Unnecessary Maternal Mortality,’ the pro-life argument is discussed in detail and why people should avoid an abortion. The article argues that abortion is a major cause of maternal deaths globally. The article estimates that about half of the 42 million women globally who procure an abortion for unintended pregnancies do it unsafely. The unsafe procedures have been known to account for over 68,000 maternal deaths annually. The article suggests that abortion should be regarded as the long-term solution for unintended pregnancies. Instead, other options for preventing unintended pregnancies should be used, such as contraceptives. The article agrees with my personal opinion on the grounds that safe abortions are effective, unsafe abortions are the problem in this case (Haddad & Nour, 2009).
The second article has the better argument and uses actual statistics to argue out their case against abortion. The article identifies the statistical figures for the global abortion cases, the percentages of the unsafe abortions and the death cases annually as a result of unsafe abortions. The article also suggests alternative long-term solutions that may be used to ensure that the maternal deaths are reduced by countries globally. The article also used case studies of women who experienced difficulties with their abortion procedures to explain the risks that face every woman who might opt to have an abortion. My opinion that the abortion decision should be a matter of choice for the woman still remains intact. However, it is important to note that the woman ought to find herself the best facilities to offer her safe abortions to minimize chances of complications.
References
en la Atención Primaria, A. M., & y Beneficios, R. (2009). Medical abortion in primary care: pitfalls and benefits. West Indian Med J, 58(6), 610.
Haddad, L. B., & Nour, N. M. (2009). Unsafe abortion: unnecessary maternal mortality. Reviews in Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2(2), 122.