Blog Stage Eight: Pro-life

In her Blog Stage 7 post, Hailey Casey of the blog Politics Around the United States argues about how she is pro-choice. She makes serval points as to why she believes abortion should be legal. For example, she claims that if a woman has been raped then she should be able to have an abortion. Hailey believes it should be easier for women to get an abortion and that they shouldn’t be questioned about their decision. She also believes it is not up to the father to make that decision.

I would have to disagree with Hailey. First, murder is illegal. The definition of murder is “the unlawful killing of another human being without justification or excuse.” I believe an embryo is the first stage of life. For example from the textbook Medical Embryology, "The development of a human being begins with fertilization, a process by which two highly specialized cells, the spermatozoon from the male and the oocyte from the female, unite to give rise to a new organism, the zygote." This shows that an embryo is a human life, therefore, abortion should not be lawful.

Another reason abortion should be illegal is the physical health risks. According to Louisiana Department of Health, Pelvic infection, incomplete abortion, blood clots in the uterus, and heavy bleeding are just some of the health problems that can occur. Complications like these or having multiple abortions can affect the ability of a woman to bear future children. After an abortion, many women become seriously depressed. According to WebMD, a study analyzed by David C. Reardon “concluded that abortion is linked to later depression.” Although, many of these studies have not be proven I believe depression plays an ugly role in the abortion process.

The 14th amendment of the Constitution claims that no person should be “deprived of life…without due process of law.” This shows how an abortion is unconstitutional and how it deprives a human being of life without recourse to the due process of the law. A helpless, innocent fetus cannot defend itself.

I believe a father should have a say in whether to abort his child or not. It takes two to create a baby, thus both mother and father have the responsibility. The fetus is not a woman’s possession or part of her body. It is a separate living individual, thus I believe the expression “my body, my choice” is incorrect.

The only (and I mean ONLY) reason I would understand the concept of an abortion is in the case of rape or for the health of the mother. But even then, there are other alternatives, like the morning after pill which would avoid the situation completely. In conclusion, abortion remains a very controversial topic today. Life is a gift, life is to be cherished, and I believe everyone should have a chance to live.