Abortion Is It The Right Choice Essay

Abortion Is It The Right Choice Essay, Research Paper An abortion is the removal of a developing baby from the womb of his or her mother using surgical, mechanical, or chemical means (Podell 11). The most common way of performing an abortion is called vacuum aspiration. This procedure is usually done during the first trimester of one s pregnancy. Surgical abortions are usually not performed before seven weeks and by that time the baby has identifiable arms and legs. Knowing that a child is slowly beginning to develop inside of a woman s uterus makes them feel more attached to the child. If they are considering the option to abort this child, they begin to question the safety of abortions and the risk factors involved when receiving one. Although abortions are said to be safe,

there are many contrasting side effects that can leave the mother scared psychologically or physically for a long period of time. Abortions have been practiced since the beginning of civilization. They were the dirty little secrets of the ages, commonly performed, but rarely spoken of. Without the existence of reliable birth control technology, abortion was the only way to limit the size of a family. Women had many reasons for wanting to go though with an abortion, but the most common of those dealt with a woman s health or to prevent their families from discovering that they were having premarital sex (Whitney 44). During the 1920 s, hospitals were devoting whole wards to patients with abortion related complications. There were three main ways to obtain an abortion. The first

was to assure a private doctor that an abortion was done to save a mother s life or preserve her health. This inturn would make the abortion legal, and able to be performed in a hospital under the safest conditions available. The second was to find an illegal, but safe abortionist who would do the procedure for a large fee. The last resort in obtaining an abortion was to have one performed by an ally man . These abortionists were usually auto mechanics, bartenders, or even real estate agents. Many poorer women tried doing the procedure themselves. They used scissors, knives, or even crochet hooks hoping to lose the pregnancy. Because of these drastic measures, abortion related infections were most common and harmful among these women (Pawder 1). The abortion rate was at an all

time high during the Great Depression. Many women and families did not have the money to raise and support another child. During the mid 1900 s as many as 1,200,000 women were undergoing illegal abortions each year (Tribe 41). Abortions were so common that close to eight hundred women had bought abortion insurance to cover the cost of illegal abortion fees. It was not until the late 1960 s when abortion rates were beginning to drop. The drop was due to better contraception and the high cost and risk involved when receiving an abortion. In 1973 about 750,000 abortions were performed (Flanders 13). In that same year, the Supreme Court legalized abortion in all fifty states, during all nine months of pregnancy, for reasons either medical, social, or otherwise. The effects after an

abortion vary. There are many things to take into consideration when trying to determine how a woman will react after receiving one. When determining the psychological effects after an abortion, one must look at the patient s previous psychiatric history. For women with a previous history, a number of problems may occur. For women without a history of psychiatric problems, abortion can be a stressful experience. Even though the most common response after an abortion is relief, there are still many reasons to feel grief and loss. Many women grieve not only for the loss of the child, but also for themselves. They feel that they have lost the image of them portrayed as perfect people who never make mistakes. Women feel a sense of identification and connection with the developing