Abortion in the United States

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how abortion has evoked considerable debate and controversy throughout history. In the United States, it has been a subject of heated debate through most of its history. The paper reports that in recent times "pro-choice" and "pro-life" movements have taken diametrically opposite positions on the ethical, legal and medical aspects of the issue. The paper presents an overview of abortion's history in the US and discusses the legal decisions of the Supreme Court on the issue from Roe onwards.

Outline:
Early History of Abortion in the United States
Following the Common Law
Lenient Attitude
Upsurge in Abortions
Physicians Lead Anti-Abortion Campaign
Turning of the Tide
Roe v. Wade (1973) and Subsequent U.S. Laws on Abortion
Pro-Choice v Pro-Life Arguments
Does Life Begin at Conception?
Right of Woman Over Her Body
Fetus as a Parasite
Scientific Argument
The Religious Belief
The Feminist View on Abortion
Public Opinion
The Pros and Cons of Pro-Life & Pro-Choice Arguments
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Over the next decade and more, the US Supreme Court struck down several attempts by the state to restrict abortion. For example, in 1983 the Court found it unconstitutional to require a woman seeking abortion to be given information about risks or consequences of the procedure and to wait 24 hours after receiving information before having the abortion. Similarly, in 1986 the court struck down a Pennsylvania law requiring that state-developed materials about abortion be offered to women undergoing the procedure. (McGee and Merz, 2004) However, since 1989, the Court has permitted several state-imposed restrictions to stand. In its decision in Webster v. Reproductive Health Services (1989), the court upheld a Missouri law that prohibited the use of public facilities or public employees for abortion and required a physician to determine the viability of a fetus older than 20 weeks before performing an abortion. In Rust v. Sullivan (1991), the court upheld a federal policy that prevented health care providers who received federal funding from engaging in any activities that encouraged or promoted abortion as a method of family planning (Ibid.)"

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Abortion." (2006). From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved on May 30, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion#Public_opinion
• "Abortion in the United States." (2006). From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved on May 30, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_the_United_States
• "The Facts Speak Louder than 'The Silent Scream'" (1985) The Planned Parenthood. Retrieved on May 30, 2006 from http://www.plannedparenthood.org/pp2/portal/files/portal/medicalinfo/abortion/fact-abortion-silent-scream.xml
• Gordon, D. (1999). "Abortion and Rights: Applying Libertarian Principles Correctly." Libertarians for life. Retrieved on May 30, 2006 from http://www.l4l.org/library/abor-rts.html
• Hughes, A.C. (2003). "30 Year Massacre." Archdiocese of New Orleans. January 15, 2003. Retrieved on May 30, 2006 from http://www.archdiocese-no.org/archbishop/ah_archives/011503.html

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