Abortion

Paper Summary:

This paper presents the opinion that abortion takes away the fundamental, unalienable right to life; therefore, it is legally wrong. The writer states that its effects on unborn children and women are both traumatic and long-lasting, which makes abortion the wrong choice physically and emotionally. Because it results in an unnatural and unnecessary death, abortion is morally wrong. For these reasons, the paper argues that abortion is wrong and should be made against the law.

Outline
Introduction
Background
Legal Issues
When Life Begins
Moral Issues
Effects on Women
Alternatives to Abortion
Works Cited

From the Paper:

"Roe vs. Wade is the well-known Supreme Court case that gave women the right to have an abortion. The Supreme Court decided on January 22, 1973 that the right to have an abortion was protected by the United States Constitution. They had reasoned that "a woman's right to decide whether or not to terminate her pregnancy is a fundamental right, part of a 'right of privacy' the Court had recognized in earlier cases." Since the Court decided that the right to decide whether or not to terminate pregnancy is a fundamental right, only a compelling reason gives the government grounds to interfere with the right of women to have an abortion. In short, women have the right to an abortion, but it is not absolute. During the first trimester of pregnancy, a woman has the right to obtain an abortion without the interference of government. The only stipulation is that the abortion be completed by a licensed physician. During the second trimester, giving birth to a child is less dangerous for a woman than having an abortion; therefore, government has the ability to regulate abortion, but only in order to preserve and protect the woman's health. So, during the second trimester, government can only interfere to be sure that abortions are preformed safely in order to protect the mother. During the third trimester of pregnancy, the fetus is capable of living outside of the mother. This point is called fetal viability. At the point of fetal viability, starting at the beginning of the third trimester, the life of the fetus becomes a compelling reason for government to interfere in the decision to have an abortion. During the third trimester, government can regulate or even prohibit abortions. The only exception to government interference in the third trimester is the protection of life or health of the woman (Tribe 10)."

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• Persuasive Essay # 67133 : "Abortion Is Not a Legal Issue"

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