Abortion is a very controversial topic in the United States. Many struggle with the topic because of religious factors or moral reasons. Since 2015, 638,169 abortions have been reported from women aged 15 to 44 years old. Between 1970 to 2015 there were 45.7 million legally induced abortions.  

Many people say abortion should not be legal because they believe the procedure is killing a child; that the child is never given a chance to come into this world and live its life. Opponents say there are other options out there, like putting the baby up for adoption or into the foster system.

I understand where the opposition is coming from only when the pregnancy results from a situation where both partners knew what could happen and didn’t use protection. They knew the possible outcome and did nothing to prevent it.

But that is definitely not always the case. In cases of rape,  abortion should always be an option. She never made the decision to have unprotected sex. That baby will just be a reminder of the pain the woman went through.

I also believe that pregnancies that can result in the baby having a limited chance of survival or where carrying the baby poses a danger to the mother should also be eligible for abortion.  The mom could have gotten pregnant without knowing the pregnancy could harm her; she should have the chance to decide if she really wants to risk her life for the birth of the child.

Babies can also have developmental or genetic defects or diseases that are deadly or can interfere with quality of life. That baby and mother should not be forced through pain and struggles if there are other options. 

Many argue that late-term abortions are inhumane — that the baby will feel everything. They argue all abortions should occur prior to the first detected heartbeat. Ideally, abortions should happen prior to the heartbeat.  Unfortunately, most people don’t find out about their pregnancies until after that milestone has passed. So that option is not realistic.

Many people also argue the majority of strong opposition toward abortion comes from men or religious individuals — people who would never find themselves in a situation where they might get pregnant. They argue these people are often the ones making the laws about abortion — people who know nothing about the fear of waking up and missing your period. They say men shouldn’t have a voice on hte matter because they will never have to carry a child in their body for nine months. They will never have the possibility of becoming attached to the human you just grew, even if the circumstances surrounding it were negative. They don’t have to sit and worry about what everyone says about them, or about people calling them names or implying they’ve ruined their lives because of the pregnancy. 

My personal opinion is all abortion options should be available. It shouldn’t matter “what you would do” because nobody is forcing you to do anything. Individuals should have the choice to abort or not abort. Everyone is entitled to do what they want with their own bodies.

Even if the country does outlaw safe and legal procedures, women will find a way to get abortions from noncertified people in unhygienic conditions. The results will be dangerous and at times deadly. If they don’t find a place to abort, some women will keep their unwanted children, which can lead to abusive situations. Some of these children will end up in an already overcrowded foster care system. 

Abortion should always be a woman’s choice.