Navigating the Ethical Dilemma of Abortion: A Compassionate Approach

Abstract

Social Issue: Abortion Abortion is the termination of pregnancy before due delivery date whether medically or naturally. Miscarriage as a form of abortion (spontaneous) occurs naturally and the pregnant mother has no control over it thus engages induction through medical procedure. However, from most humans’ point of view, the term abortion generally refers to induced abortion that involves a deliberate decision to terminate pregnancy and the procedures therein may vary based on the gestation age of the fetus and women’s health. Such varying and contradicting definitions of abortion makes this process a highly contentious social issue that affects a wide range of humans and groups within a society but most especially the women carrying such pregnancies. Just as the legalities and regulations governing abortion varies widely across the globe, so does the ethical and moral considerations that shape most humans personal beliefs and values regarding abortion. To this effect, it is imperative to have a balance between the goods and the evils of abortion while arguing this process from a humane point of view. Abortion as a social issue affects a wide range of stakeholders and groups but the key focus in this essay will be the pregnant women as these are the people directly affected by abortion. However, just to mention, partners and families, healthcare providers, advocacy and activist groups, government and policymakers, religious institutions and mental health professional are among the many stakeholders and groups that are also affected by abortion debate as a social (Blystad et al., 2020). In an article “Abortion Law and Policy Around the World: in Search of Decriminalization,” Marge Berer a veteran fighter for women’s right to safe abortion advocates for reconsideration of abortion legalities and illegalities as a way to minimize women mortality rates. Berer (2017) argues decriminalization of abortion as a potential remedy to the rising rates of abortion cases among American women among all other energetic and reproductive women across the world. While analyzing healthy abortion, this author cites that restricting abortion or having negative attitude towards abortion negatively impacts the process in that many women hide as they abort or do it unprofessionally leading to complications or deaths in severe cases. To this effect, there is the need for policymakers to reconsider the political, legal, socio-cultural and juridical restrictions surrounding abortion to help them enforce relative approaches that spells more good than evil towards the female gender. While arguing the effects of abortion on women but from a differing perception, Berg (2017) confirms that as much as people would wish to justify the legalities of abortion it is imperative to consider the life of an innocent human that becomes terminated in the course of the process. However, since women are humans whose rights remain intact as humans, they have a right to make decision even on issues that proves sensitive like terminating a pregnancy for personal reason. In this effect, Berg (2017) confirms that the most common argument that justifies the illegalities of abortion is the assumption of life from conception justifying abortion as evil but ignoring the rights of the women carrying such pregnancies even in cases of health threats. To this effect, Berg advocates for reconsideration of abortion policies and the need to argue such policies from the...