Question

ABORTION IN THE UNITED STATES ESSAY (540 WORDS ESSAY).

Answer 1

An abortion is removing the fetus before it can survive outside the uterus.This abortion may be spontaneous called as miscarriage or it can be planned called induced abortion. Since beginning abortion has been considered to be an illegal act as the fetus is believed to be the beginning of life. Many countries have passed certain laws to restrict people from aborting fetus with no significant reason. The laws against abortion was important as many people practiced abortion just because the fetus is a girl child, unwanted child i.e becoming pregnant out of wedlock and various other issue. This unnecessary abortion disturbs the male female population ratio and also lays an unhealthy impact on mothers health. Many cases of maternal mortality have been reported in many countries due to abortion which is conducted by untrained health workers. The complication of sepsis after abortion is also severe.

Like in other countries, United States also have certain anti abortion laws which has been adopted since 1900. According to these laws, abortion was considered to be legal if conducted during a specific time frame. In the beginning soon after independence, the anti abortion law stated that the abortion is not permitted after quickening i.e after 15-20 weeks of gestation.. By 1900, the abortion was considered to be legal in many states but under limited circumstances in order to protect the life of women and also to terminate pregnacies which result due to rape or incest. In 2003, Supreme Court passed a law called " Partial birth abortion ban act". This was mainly enacted to prohibit the partial birth abortions in States. In 2002, the Born Alive Infants Protection Act was passed which aimed at the fundamental rights of those infants born after failed attempts of induced abortion.

In U.S every state has a abortion clinic. In any case of abortion the consent of the mother is important. In case of minors, the consent of their parents is significant. In many states like California,Oregon, Montana, the abortion is performed by physician asssistant, nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives to perform first semester aspiration abortions and to prescribe medication for medical abortions. Whereas in other states, only a licensed physician is permitted to perform abortions.

According to the statistics, the incidence of abortion has been found to be declined since the laws against abortion has been passed. The number of legal induced abortion in US doubled between 1973 to 1979 and reached its peak till 1990. But after Supreme Court legalized the procedure, there was marked decline in the cases. The incidences of abortion is also affected by religious beliefs and ethinicity. For example, The rate of abortion among protestant women is 15 per 1000 women while among CAtholic its 22 per 1000 women. The rate of abortion among balck and hispanic women was found to be 49 per 1000 while in non hispanic, its 13 per 1000. This difference is due to the lack of access to health care and contraception.

The various reasons which have been found in US leading to abortions are the desire to postpone childbearing, cannot afford a baby, relationship problem with the partner, too young parents, career issues, want no more children, risk to fetal and maternal health, pregnancy from rape or incest and others. The financial issues regarding abortions are also considered by the US laws. The Medicaid will pay for only those abortions ehich is dur to rape or incest and life endangerment. However, the other private insurance policies also do not provide coverage to abortion cases.

Though abortion may have legal causes but still its considered as a matter of guilt, an act to kill a life by many people. Various measures have been implemented in different states of US that will prevent these incidences of unwanted pregnancy and laws to protect women from violence are also applied. Moreover, health education, easily accessible health care and contraceptive will pave a soultion towards this problem.

" Abortion kills twice. It kills the body of the baby,and it kills the conscience of the mother"

- Mother Teresa