Abortion: Pros and Cons of Legalization

There are many arguments for abortion, seemingly in about even measure. It can be an extremely delicate situation with a range of possibilities and circumstances that can change people’s opinions.

One argument for abortion is that people are free to make their own choices. This means that we should trust the judgement of others in their choices. However I don’t think this is a very strong argument since we wouldn’t let someone kill someone else because they could choose, so why a child or embryo?

Another argument for abortion that I find quite weak is that every child has a right to be wanted. Even if that child doesn’t get aborted and gets to live it could still lead a happy life with the parent or even another family. I myself would rather be alive and living in an adoption agency than dead. I also know a family that have fostered 2 children, and even though its only temporary they are extremely happy. But not all children will be happy. They could be born into a life of drugs and booze and parents that don’t care about them but don’t put them up for adoption either.

I think the strongest argument in favour of abortion is ‘If someone gets raped should they be forced to have that child’? This is normally the argument that changes people’s views. Would you let your child have the baby if they were raped? It wouldn’t be fair on the child on the mother, leaving psychological scars on both. The child would have a hard time coming to terms that his father’s a rapist and raped his mother and his mother will have a living reminder of her terrible ordeal every day of her life.

If all abortions were allowed there would be no backstreet abortions. This is good since there would be less mothers and children injured in dangerous ‘backstreet abortions’. The only problem with this is that women will be able to terminate their child simply because it’s slightly inconvenient.

I think that the strongest argument against abortion is when does life begin? I think this because if life begins when the sperm and egg meet then terminating the embryo or foetus would be murder. If we know when life begins we will be able to find a reasonable boundary for abortion. People only don’t like abortion because its killing a person or potential person so if we know when life begins most of the argument will be resolved.

A foetus is a potential human being. Killing it could be killing the next Albert Einstein, or Alexander Graham Bell. On the other hand he could grow to be the next Hitler.

In total I would say abortion is quite evenly sided and will not be resolved very quickly. There will always be those that think its ok and those that don’t. I think the only good reasons for abortion is if it is younger than 12 weeks because this is when every organ is formed and that’s when I think life begins. The only other reason i think someone should have an abortion is if they are raped.

I am not saying this is what you should believe, but is just a representation of my own opinion. Please post your own views.