Abortion
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Most pro-life arguments rest on the idea that a fetus is a full human being from conception, and that a fetus shares the same rights as any other human being. This argument is often linked to other "respect-for-life" issues such as euthanasia and the death penalty in advocating a "Culture of Life" to replace what advocates see as a "Culture of Death." These ideas were articulated in this form by Pope John Paul II in the encyclical Evangelium Vitae.<ref>http://www.vatican.va/edocs/ENG0141/_INDEX.HTM</ref> | Most pro-life arguments rest on the idea that a fetus is a full human being from conception, and that a fetus shares the same rights as any other human being. This argument is often linked to other "respect-for-life" issues such as euthanasia and the death penalty in advocating a "Culture of Life" to replace what advocates see as a "Culture of Death." These ideas were articulated in this form by Pope John Paul II in the encyclical Evangelium Vitae.<ref>http://www.vatican.va/edocs/ENG0141/_INDEX.HTM</ref> | ||
| − | | valign="top" | Many pro-life activists and [[George W. Bush|politicians]] who use this language show a particular disagreement about the "sanctity of human life" when the life in question belongs to a felon. The unthinking preference for quantity of life has also been criticized for disregarding consideration of quality of life. | + | | valign="top" | Many pro-life activists and [[George W. Bush|politicians]] who use this language show a particular disagreement about the "sanctity of human life" when the life in question belongs to a felon or a foreigner. The unthinking preference for quantity of life has also been criticized for disregarding consideration of quality of life. |
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Revision as of 05:18, 11 August 2007
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Contents |
Introduction
Abortion generally refers to a range of medical procedures[1] used to terminate a pregnancy. Many religious groups remain bitterly opposed to the practice and hence its legality and availability vary drastically from country to country.[2] Women's advocates retort that it is repugnant to seek to wield power of veto over what does or does not happen inside someone else's body. The various arguments are presented below.
Argument Side-by-Side
Pro Life Arguments |
Pro Choice Arguments |
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Life begins at the moment of conception. Reductive scientific labels of "embryo" or "foetus" are used mask the fact that abortion is the pre-meditated killing of an unborn child. Without drawing this line, how can you decide when life begins? When it's viable, when it's cute, when it talks? Justice demands that children be accorded the same legal protections in utero as they would have without. |
The potential for life begins at conception. Around 25% of pregnancies end in miscarriage and mostly within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.[3] Following the pro-life logic, 1 in 4 children die before they are ever born. There has been a noticeable lack of campaigning directed towards stemming this appalling tide of infant death. Before 20 weeks, a foetus' chances of survival outside the womb are nil. However well formed its little fingers, it can not be considered an independent entity in any meaningful sense. Realistic viability is attained at around 25 - 26 weeks[4] and few, if any, countries permit abortion after 24 weeks, except in cases of clear risk to the life of the mother. |
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Abortion has serious health and psychological consequences on the woman. National Right to Life emphasizes the risk of complications without presenting statistics on the frequency, though they admit that the vast majority are temporary and treatable. They claim that abortion increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy and doubles the risk of future sterility, and they claim these risks to increase with multiple abortions.[5] Some people claim that there is a link between abortion and breast cancer. National Right to Life claims "a growing body of scientific evidence that having an abortion can cause psychological harm to some women." They admit to a lack of information on the prevalence of serious psychological consequences, saying only that, "a Los Angeles Times survey in 1989 found that 56% of women who had abortions felt guilty about it, and 26% 'mostly regretted the abortion.'"[6] |
There simply is no breast cancer link. See this article, by a real doctor (!). According to Planned Parenthood, the risk of death in a medication abortion is 1 in 100,000 and that from an early vacuum aspiration abortion 1 in 1 million. This compares to a rate of 10 in 100,000 for carrying a pregnancy to term.[7] They flatly dismiss any link to future childbearing difficulties. On psychological issues, Planned Parenthood notes the lack of scientific proof for assertions of a widespread "post-abortion syndrome." They claim that the occurrence of long-term emotional problems is similar to that associated with childbirth.[8] |
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Most pro-life arguments rest on the idea that a fetus is a full human being from conception, and that a fetus shares the same rights as any other human being. This argument is often linked to other "respect-for-life" issues such as euthanasia and the death penalty in advocating a "Culture of Life" to replace what advocates see as a "Culture of Death." These ideas were articulated in this form by Pope John Paul II in the encyclical Evangelium Vitae.[9] |
Many pro-life activists and politicians who use this language show a particular disagreement about the "sanctity of human life" when the life in question belongs to a felon or a foreigner. The unthinking preference for quantity of life has also been criticized for disregarding consideration of quality of life. |
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| There is no inherent right to abortion. As there are viable alternatives, such as adoption, a woman's freedom ends when its exercise would end a life | Advocates of pro-choice generally believe that a human beings body is inviolable, and the state should not regulate it. Specifically, women should never be forced to be "incubators" for a fetus. |
Constitutional ArgumentsArguments in Favor of a Fundamental Right to Choice
Arguments Against a Fundamental Right to Choice
Appendix: List of Studies showing no link between abortion and breast cancer1. NEJM 1997, 336, 81-5 2. British Medical Journal 1989, 299, 1430-2 3. Cancer Causes & Control 1997, 8, 93-108 4. Lancet 2004, 363, 1007-16 5. American Journal of Epidemiology 1988, 127, 981-9 6. British Journal of Cancer 1982, 45, 327-31 7. American Journal of Epidemiology 1987, 126, 831-41 8. International Journal of Cancer 1991, 48, 816-20 9. European Journal of Cancer 1999, 35, 1361-7 10. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health 2005, 59, 283-7 11. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 2003, 12, 209-14 12. American Journal of Epidemiology 1983, 117, 35-45 13. Epidemiology 2000, 11, 76-80 14. International Journal of Cancer 2001, 92, 899-905 15. Cancer Causes & Control 1997, 8, 841-9 16. International Journal of Cancer 1996, 65, 401-5 17. British Journal of Cancer 1990, 62, 122-6 18. International Journal of Cancer 1993, 215-9 19. Cancer Causes & Control 1995, 6, 75-82 20. American Journal of Public Health 1999, 89, 1244-7 21. British Journal of Cancer 1999, 79, 1923-8 22. Epidemiology 2000, 11, 177-80 23. Cancer Causes & Control 2000, 11, 777-81 24. International Journal of Cancer 1998, 76, 182-8 References
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