Imagine a young girl, age of thirteen or fourteen going back from school and then suddenly attacked and raped by a bunch of boys. Does she have a right with her parent's consent to conduct an abortion and would this act be morally right or wrong? The debate between the ones who support and the ones who defend the choice for abortion seems to be endless. Everyone would agree that abortion is an act of taking someone’s life, taking the right to lead a life, but there are certain instances where abortion is the best solution for a woman or the baby that she carries. Abortion should be a matter of choice.
The victims of sexual crimes such as rape should have a right to chose to undergo abortion, if they feel they cannot cope with the pregnancy or that it influences their psychological health. A child cannot raise a baby, and the process of adoption in many cases fails, because as soon as baby is born, the maternal instinct appears and it is difficult to complete the process of abortion. According to Finer and Zorna, "The incidence of unintended pregnancy is a key indicator of a population’s reproductive health, and preventing unplanned pregnancies is a priority for most sexually active men and women" (43). If the pregnancy is unintended or is a product of a vicious crime, then it should be allowed to the victims to have a right to choose if they want to conduct an abortion.
Abortion has always been a taboo topic in the society, and in places where it is not legal it is conducted by half-trained physicians. In many cases, this malpractice leads to complications of a women and eventually death. There are many countries in the world where abortion is forbidden. One of those countries is Dominican Republic. As cited by Halper, "An estimated 90,000 illegal abortions are performed each year almost all through self-induced abortions or unsafe abortions, making it the third greatest cause of maternal death in the country." In addition to this, it cannot be underestimated the fact that it is better to promote healthy sexual relationships and conduct abortions in a medical surrounding where a patient's death is not an option.
The age limit for experiencing the first sexual relationships has moved to an early age of teenagers. Frequently, teenagers engage into intercourse without having any kind of information about the potentials sexual transmitted diseases, contraception or the possibility of pregnancy. In many cases, young teenagers drop out of school due to unwanted pregnancies and ruin their chance of getting education and job. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "In 2012, a total of 305,388 babies were born to women aged 15–19 years, for a live birth rate of 29.4 per 1,000 women in this age group." The majority of these young women left their schools in order to take care of their children. The possibility to receive a good education is unavailable for them and in some cases they did not have a choice for an abortion.
Abortion should not be forbidden completely. It was conducted in the past as the final solution to an unwanted pregnancy, and it will be conducted. Nowadays, people should place more emphasis on educating youngsters about other possible methods of contraception as there are so many in the market. Professional therapist and parents should pay more time in conversation with young population about sex and the consequences that it carries. Abortion should be the last solution. However, it should remain as a matter of choice, without stigmatizing the women as murderers. If she has decided, she will do it, whether it is legal or not.
Works cited:
Halper, Katie. "5 Countries That Would Let a Woman Die Before Getting an Abortion" www.care2.com. 21. May 2013. Web. 19. November 2014. http://www.care2.com/causes/the-5-countries-that-would-let-a-woman-die-before-getting-an-abortion.html
Finer, B. Lawrence and Zolna R. Mia. "Shifts in Intended and Unintended Pregnancies in the United States". guttmacher.org. 2014. Web. 19. November 2014. http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/ajph.2013.301416.pdf
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Teen Pregnancy. 9. June 2014. Web. 19. November 2014. http://www.cdc.gov/teenpregnancy/aboutteenpreg.htm
