A) The right to choose what happens to our bodies, the medical treatments we want to opt for and understanding the pros and cons of our decision, is as fundamental a human right as the right to have access to food and water. Informed consent is an integral part of healthcare globally and I believe that the issue of abortion also falls in the same category. If the patient’s or next of kin’s permission is sought before any surgical procedure, there is no logical reason that can justify not extending the same courtesy to women when it comes to their reproductive rights.
The argument often put forward is that since two people are involved in a sexual act that leads to conception, the decision to terminate a pregnancy should also be of mutual consent. However, in my opinion, it is the woman who should have the final say in deciding whether or not she wants to carry the baby to term; for nine months she bears the responsibility, and the associated physical and psychological complications, of having a foetus grow within her body and even after birth, she is the one who is expected to stay at home, breast feed and take a break from education or her career to care for an infant. This holds true for married women with planned pregnancies, but particularly for single, teenage mothers who find themselves pregnant without any intention of being so, often with no emotional or financial support from their partner. If the responsibility is theirs, it is only rational that so should the decision be since they will be facing the consequences either way .
This in no means suggests that every time a pregnancy is viewed as ‘inconvenient’, it should be terminated without any thought or consideration. At the end of the day, the egg once fertilized is a living organism and as such should get a certain level of humane treatment. However, if physicians believe that the mother’s health is at risk, or even if it will be severely compromised in continuing with the pregnancy or during delivery, then women should definitely be allowed to have an abortion. Similarly, if the pre-delivery tests indicate developmental abnormalities in the foetus that puts its survival, once born, at risk, then I think it is unfair to let the baby be born.
While the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark 1973 verdict in Row vs. Wade gave women the authority to decide whether or not they want an abortion, without requiring consent of their partners, did extend the right to control their body, but recent legislations such as the Personhood Measure Act that has taken effect in North Dakota, have taken back the strides made in advancing women’s reproductive rights . I believe that new laws should not focus on whether there should be more or less restrictions; rather the issue they should address is making the law more comprehensive in dealing with abortion issues. Instead of a blanket yes or no situation, the law should allow for exceptions; in cases of rape or incest for instance, abortion should be legal. Allowing these exceptions would mean that more women will go to qualified physicians to have the abortion, increasing their chances of recovering completely, without any threat to their health in the long run, as is often the case when women go to untrained, dodgy abortion practitioners.
B) Teenage, pre-marital pregnancies are more than just a moral or religious issue, although most societies, even today, remain more focused on the fact that when teenage girls get pregnant before marriage, it brings disrepute to their families, ruin their reputation in society since they are labelled as having a bad character, will be severely punished and never have a chance to secure a good match for marriage. Given the increasing rate at which pre-marital, teenage pregnancy cases are being reported, particularly in the U.S. as well as South Asian countries such as India and Bangladesh, the concern should be more towards the health-related consequences for the mother, regardless of whether she chooses to undergo an abortion or have the baby and then give it up for adoption .
While it is understandable that the world’s poorest countries struggle with teenage pregnancies, why this practice has been on the rise in the world’s most developed economy, the U.S. is disturbing to say the least. When compared to other developed countries in Europe, such as The Netherlands as well as Switzerland, the high incidence of teen pregnancies (one in every eight teenage girls get pregnant) in the U.S is even more alarming. I believe the reason is the lack of adequate sex education for students in colleges and high schools in the U.S. A common belief is that if children are made aware about sexual conduct at an early age, it will make them more likely to indulge in promiscuous behaviour earlier. Another reason is that conservative Christians believe that encouraging their children to use contraceptives, IUDs and other birth control tools will make them unchristian since pre-marital sex is a sin.
In order to reduce the rate of teenage pregnancies, it is important that the 3 Rs of rights, respect and responsibility are understood by both male and female teenagers . Every girl has the right to have access to quality healthcare for all her medical needs and this includes the right to be able to go to a hospital in order to have an abortion if the pregnancy is negatively affecting her health. Secondly, whatever decision the girl reaches, her partner as well as her family should respect that. This includes protection of and support from the law as well, that gives her the freedom to choose to become a mother. Lastly, but most importantly, there also needs to be an evaluation about whether an expectant mother will be able to properly care and raise the child. Also, the girl alone cannot be expected to take the emotional and monetary responsibility; her partner, boyfriend, or the man involved with her in the sexual conduct must also be held responsible, socially as well as legally for his actions.
Works Cited
Bassett, Laura. "North Dakota Personhood Measure Passes State House." Huffington Post 22 March 2013. Online.
Kristof, Nicholas. "Politicians, Teens and Birth Control." The New York Times 12 November 2014. Online.
