As William James "Bill" O 'Reilly, an American television host, author, syndicated columnist, and political commentator once professed “There comes a time when a human being has to either face evil or admit to allowing it. Abortion is legal in the United States, but it should not be celebrated or used as a political tool. Viable babies are human beings.” In our every changing society, where increased rights for same-sex couples, equal pay for women, and gun laws have altered our society since our founding days, the topic of abortion continues to be a heavily debated topic and is one of the most polarized topics of the 21st century. This heated dispute surrounds the legality of Roe v. Wade and if it is unconstitutional for citizens to pay for
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Depending on how far along a women is during pregnancy, the methods surrounding the abortion vary. According to Planned Parenthood, a woman can either take a pill to induce a natural miscarriage, or have a surgical procedure. During the first 8 weeks of pregnancy, a doctor can use a simple suction procedure. However, after 9 weeks the only option is to have a surgical abortion in which the doctor must surgically remove the fetus. Over the years abortion became not only ethically accepted in the first place, but legal in 1973. Although patients are entitled to know both how an abortion will affect them, including both the physical and emotional consequences for them and the child, the majority refuse to ask for fear of being morally convicted. Although many believe in prochoice, the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize abortion through the United States via Roe v. Wade continues to remain unlawful in the eyes of millions of Americans nearly 40 years later. Considered to be one of the most controversial social issues of our time, the legality of abortion stemmed from a privacy rights case. Although the Constitution does not specify an American citizen’s right to privacy, the case was based and “interpreted [on] the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to include a right to …show more content…
Another both legal and moral aspect of abortion even pro-choice supporters debate about is when a fetus is considered to be a human life that is capable of feeling pain. The Supreme Courts concluded that legally “during the first trimester of pregnancy, state governments could not interfere with a physician’s decision, reached in consultation with a pregnancy patient, to terminate a pregnancy. [However,] during the second trimester, the state could regulate abortion, but only to protect the health of a woman. [Finally,] in the third trimester, after the fetus has achieved viability (or the ability to survive outside of the womb,) the Court ruled that the state governments could prohibit abortion except when it was necessary to preserve the life or health of a woman” (Tannahill 2012). In the years since Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court has come to the conclusion that states can regulate access to abortion as long as it does not place an undue burden on a woman’s right to choose. Due to the legality and controversy surrounding abortion, women now must legally, “give information about fetal development and alternatives to ending their pregnancies, wait at least 24 hours after receiving that information before having an abortion, doctors must keep
Depending on how far along a women is during pregnancy, the methods surrounding the abortion vary. According to Planned Parenthood, a woman can either take a pill to induce a natural miscarriage, or have a surgical procedure. During the first 8 weeks of pregnancy, a doctor can use a simple suction procedure. However, after 9 weeks the only option is to have a surgical abortion in which the doctor must surgically remove the fetus. Over the years abortion became not only ethically accepted in the first place, but legal in 1973. Although patients are entitled to know both how an abortion will affect them, including both the physical and emotional consequences for them and the child, the majority refuse to ask for fear of being morally convicted. Although many believe in prochoice, the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize abortion through the United States via Roe v. Wade continues to remain unlawful in the eyes of millions of Americans nearly 40 years later. Considered to be one of the most controversial social issues of our time, the legality of abortion stemmed from a privacy rights case. Although the Constitution does not specify an American citizen’s right to privacy, the case was based and “interpreted [on] the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to include a right to …show more content…
Another both legal and moral aspect of abortion even pro-choice supporters debate about is when a fetus is considered to be a human life that is capable of feeling pain. The Supreme Courts concluded that legally “during the first trimester of pregnancy, state governments could not interfere with a physician’s decision, reached in consultation with a pregnancy patient, to terminate a pregnancy. [However,] during the second trimester, the state could regulate abortion, but only to protect the health of a woman. [Finally,] in the third trimester, after the fetus has achieved viability (or the ability to survive outside of the womb,) the Court ruled that the state governments could prohibit abortion except when it was necessary to preserve the life or health of a woman” (Tannahill 2012). In the years since Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court has come to the conclusion that states can regulate access to abortion as long as it does not place an undue burden on a woman’s right to choose. Due to the legality and controversy surrounding abortion, women now must legally, “give information about fetal development and alternatives to ending their pregnancies, wait at least 24 hours after receiving that information before having an abortion, doctors must keep