Issue of Abortion in America
Issue of Abortion in America
Several social issues are affecting the American societies. Some of these issues have been within them for long. These concerns have also been a part of discussions in all the academic cycles in America. One of the most discussed issues is abortion. The reasons for abortion, the legality of abortion, and the morality of the act are some of the hottest topics in discussion. This paper is set to discuss the history of the abortion, debate ways of dealing with abortion, past interventions, as well as the reasons for their success or failure.
Abortion remains the most controversial social issues within America. The discussion has led to the development of two opposing movements. These movements are referred to as the pro-life movement and the pro-choice movement. Before the legalization of abortion, most women were using the act to control reproduction. Several anti-abortion laws were aimed at controlling women (Saurette & Gordon, 2016). These laws reduced and confined women into baby making machines. During this time, abortion was regarded as a practice that could reduce male domination in the society. Additionally, abortion was considered as a vice against God, the creator of heaven as well as earth. This was a view that was strongly held by the religious sector.
Women were subjected to desperation through the anti-abortion laws. Besides, shame and fear made women lose control of their health (Tatalovich, 2015). The most commonly affected women were the poor or the black. The ability to secure an abortion relied heavily on a woman's colour and economic status. Women with good financial standings could leave the country in search of physicians who could assist them in abortion. Other less fortunate women even attempted crude ways of self-abortion. These included insertion of knitting needles or shirt hangers into the vagina, douching with lye as well as the swallowing of strong chemicals or drugs.
Since the number of deaths that resulted from abortions were not recorded, it was difficult to calculate the exact number of women who were affected. However, there were several women who were treated for the complications of these harsh abortion techniques (Tatalovich, 2015). Due to the increasing number of deaths and serious complications that resulted from botched abortions, physicians began performing secret safe abortions. These physicians risked the loss of medical licenses, imprisonment, as well as fines. Due to these safe clandestine abortions, the number of deaths owed to self-abortion mechanisms dropped. This led to several women engaging the services of well-trained physicians in procuring an abortion.
Several states began repealing their abortion laws in 1963. They legalized abortion in those particular states. In 1973, the U.S Supreme Court presented a landmark ruling in Roe vs Wade court case. The Court legalized abortion in all states in the country. Through this, women could access safe abortion from trained medical practitioners. The ruling led to a tremendous decrease in abortion-related deaths. The case arose from an anti-abortion law in Texas that barred women from legal abortion (Tatalovich, 2015). In Texas, abortion could only be procured when a woman’s life was in danger. Jane Roe was 21 years old when he challenged the law against the attorney general Henry Wade. During the ruling, the U.S Supreme Court ruled that right to privacy included a woman's right to have children.
The decision allowed women to procure abortion during their first trimester. The right to abortion is protected by the privacy clause in the Constitution (Saurette & Gordon, 2016). It allowed the state only to restrict abortion beyond the first trimester. According to the ruling, the fetus is viable after the first trimester. At this point, the fetus can be regarded as ‘a person' with full rights of a human being. However, the court maintained that abortion could still be procured during the second as well as third trimester. It could only be done when the life of the mother is in danger.
Even though the ruling allowed procurement of abortion in the first trimester, the Supreme Court also made other landmark rulings between 1973 and 1992. In these decisions, women were denied access to abortion services. In Bellotti vs Baird case in 1979, it was ruled by the Supreme Court that states have the power to withhold abortion services to a minor. The minor must be able to convince the judge that she is mature enough to make such life changing decisions. Additionally, she could be allowed to access abortion services upon production of parental consent (Saurette & Gordon, 2016). In another ruling, Harris vs McRae, women who benefited from Medicaid health insurance program were also barred from procuring abortions.
Immediately after the Rowe judgment, the Medicaid covered individuals during post-abortion care. Individual states and the federal governments jointly fund the Medicaid program. However, the Hyde amendment passed by the Congress in 1976 banned the use of public funds in abortion care except in certain critical conditions. This led to a countrywide ban on the use of Medicaid in abortion. The ruling heavily affected women from financially disadvantaged backgrounds (Saurette & Gordon, 2016). The ruling also held that banning the use of government funding for abortion care did not violate the rights of women. It only saved the state of resources that could be channelled to other areas of development.
Abortion as a Problem in the United States
Since the legalization of abortion, it has become a major challenge in the United States. Several reasons cited for abortion do not add up. In the past, women aborted due to unwanted or risky pregnancies. Abortion has become a procedure in which women are forced to undergo. Parents, husbands, or boyfriends always initiate these forceful abortions. This has subjected women to post-abortion stress syndrome (PASS). This disorder occurs when a woman is forced into abortion and is unable to control her emotional responses after the procedure (Finer & Zolna, 2014). It results in eating disorders, depression, as well as suicidal thoughts. In the United States, some women abort against their will. This can have dire consequences to the woman.
The society has placed the burden of family planning on women. In most cases, women are required to ensure that they do not get pregnant (Lamphere, Ragoné, & Zavella, 2014). If a woman gets pregnant, they are often blamed. This has a potential of breeding lazy men in the society. These men usually force women to abort since it is the responsibility of women to ensure they do not conceive. If the women fail to abort, such men are always ready to leave their houses. Besides, it can lead to a woman being kicked out of the house by her husband. The fear of being homeless as well as bearing a fatherless child drives these women into abortion.
Previous Methods used for Abortion Prevention
In the United States, certain methods have been employed in dealing with the abortion issue. The methods include the use of birth control methods as well as legislation. A study by the Centre for Disease control and Prevention (CDC) showed that the use of modern contraceptives is almost universal in the United States. The use of contraceptives has a potential to reduce unwanted pregnancies (Finer & Zolna, 2014). Forty percent of these unwanted pregnancies are often aborted (Finer & Zolna, 2014). Therefore, prevention of unwanted pregnancies leads to a subsequent reduction in cases of abortion. The use of contraceptives in reducing the rates of abortion is effective. However, in areas where contraceptive uptake is lower than the national figure, the method cannot be effectively used to control abortion.
Additionally, the use of legislation has been utilized in the control of abortion cases. The United States has often enacted legislations to control abortion cases (Flynn & Wilson, 2015). Since the legalization of abortion in the county, laws have been introduced with the aim of preventing unnecessary abortions. The Supreme Court in two landmark cases tried to control incidences of abortion by maintaining that under-age girls must get consent from their parents to access abortion services. This was to discourage abortion among the teenagers. In another verdict, the court ruled that denying women the use of public funds in abortion care services was not illegal. This ruling followed the Hyde amendment. It barred the use of Medicaid in accessing abortion care services.
Several states have enacted laws that make it difficult for women to access abortion services. Besides, these legislations affect the clinicians' ability to offer the services. Since 2007 to 2013, more than two hundred and thirty restrictions on abortion were introduced. These regulations place strict conditions for the providers of abortion services. For instance, a provider is required to increase the janitorial closet's size. These regulations are collectively referred to as TRAP (Targeted Regulations for Abortion Providers) laws. When keenly studied, the regulations do not provide any protection against women (Munson, 2013). The cost of implementing these rules and regulations is expensive. This is to discourage the health care providers from the provision of abortion services.
Recommendations for preventing abortion
Both safe and unsafe abortions have negative implications for women, men, as well as the society as a whole. It is essential that the cases of abortion be reduced to a minimum level. Some of the measures that can be used to curb cases of abortion include the provision of family planning services and counselling, expansion of access to pre and post abortion care, as well as involving male partners in community outreaches on family planning. Accessible family planning services are an essential tool in the reduction of abortion (Lamphere, Ragoné, & Zavella, 2014). There is a significant relationship between the use of family planning services and the rate of abortion. These services should also integrate counselling service for individuals who wish to procure an abortion. When such women are counselled, they can change their minds on abortion. This would help in the reduction of abortion cases.
Another important strategy is to carry out community outreaches driven by men on family planning and abortion. Including men in these outreaches may help relieve the burden of family planning on women (Munson, 2013). When men are educated on the effects of multiple abortions and the importance of family planning services, they are likely to encourage their wife to use family planning services properly. This would reduce the incidences of unwanted pregnancies (Peipert, Madden, Allsworth, & Secura, 2012). Reduction in unwanted pregnancies subsequently leads to a decrease in cases of abortion.
Besides, expansion of pre and post abortion care is an essential strategy. Before women procure abortion, it is essential for them to be counselled (Peipert, Madden, Allsworth, & Secura, 2012). This may help them in proper recovery after abortion. Moreover, it may even make them change their minds regarding abortion. Pre-abortion care is also essential since some women are forced into abortion. The fear of being kicked out of the house or job drives them into abortion. Through counselling, their fears can be alleviated. Post-abortion care is also essential in reducing multiple abortions. Once a woman procures her first abortion, she should be counselled on ways of avoiding other abortions. During counselling, family planning methods may be introduced to the patient.
In conclusion, the abortion issue is still a hot topic in the United States. The issue needs to be discussed deeply to unearth the effects of abortion in the society. It is essential for proper interventions to be put in place to ensure abortion is tackled. The effects of abortion on women and the society are enormous. For these interventions to be successful, it is crucial to involve the men. The men are essential in any intervention concerning family planning, abortion, as well as other matters that touch on reproductive health.
References
Finer, L. B., & Zolna, M. R. (2014). Shifts in intended and unintended pregnancies in the United States, 2001–2008. American journal of public health, 104(S1), S43-S48.
Flynn, C. O. B., & Wilson, R. F. (2015). When states regulate emergency contraceptives like abortion, what should guide disclosure? The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 43(1), 72-86.
Lamphere, L., Ragoné, H., & Zavella, P. (2014). Situated Lives: Gender and culture in everyday life. New York: Routledge.
Munson, R. (2013). Intervention and Reflection: Basic Issues in Bioethics. Boston: Cengage Learning.
Peipert, J. F., Madden, T., Allsworth, J. E., & Secura, G. M. (2012). Preventing unintended pregnancies by providing no-cost contraception.Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 120(6), 1291.
Saurette, P., & Gordon, K. (2016). The Changing Voice of the Anti-abortion Movement: The Rise of" pro-woman" Rhetoric in Canada and the United States. Ontario: University of Toronto Press.
Tatalovich, W. (2015). The politics of abortion in the United States and Canada: A comparative study. New York: Routledge.
