Essay On Limiting Abortion

Restricting Abortion Statewide restrictive abortion laws increase homicidal deaths among young children (Sen. et al 157). Research has proven that there is a direct correlation among state level laws that regulate abortion services and the numbers of unintended pregnancies in the United States. This information shows a frightening consequence to this polarizing issue that has been heating up the debates among lawmakers. Although those opposed to abortion fight for the life of the unborn child, there is also a dark side to this issue. Those seeking to terminate their pregnancies are most effected by legislation. Teens and poverty stricken single mothers make up this segment of Americans. Their welfare should be addressed in an effort to prevent dangerous consequences. Abortion is certainly a complex issue and has been discussed at length. This deliberate act of pregnancy termination has been recently thrown back into the headlines. Legislation in various states has made access to this controversial practice much more difficult to obtain. The practice is being attacked in several ways including: defunding of planned parenthood, regulations that have forced closures of clinics, and outright bans. These legislative actions are particularly troubling to the medical community because they pose a threat to the health of the woman in those communities. According to Daniel Grossman’s scholarly article written in 2014, “Texas is only one of several states attempting to regulate abortion out of existence”(73). Recent closures have left thousands of women living in several counties without services within 150 mile range of their homes. Grossman goes onto say that restricting these services does not decrease the number of abortions, it only makes it unsafe(74). Fewer clinics mean more attempts at self induction, increases in unwanted pregnancies, and higher rates of child maltreatment and homicidal deaths. Self induction is when a woman attempts to facilitate an abortion on her own without medical guidance. According to a Reproductive Health Matters article written in 2010, “In settings were legal abortion is restricted, women may attempt so self induce using a variety of techniques such as ingesting harmful substances and exerting external force”(Blanchard 137). If women do resort to using such drastic measures complications may arise. Lack of money, parental consent, and a lack of knowledge have also been barriers to clinical abortion.The Blanchard study goes on to show that, “while 94% of the 12.4 million uninsured women in the U.S. are likely to qualify for Medicaid or federal subsidies when the healthcare overhaul is fully implemented, women will still be unable to use Medicaid for elective abortions, except those who live in the 17 states that provide abortion coverage”(144). Self induction is a dangerous alternative and a negative …show more content…
According to an article by Bitler and Zavodny called Child Abuse and Abortion Availability, “‘Unwanted’ children may be more subject to child abuse and neglect by their parents or caretakers than are desired children…”(363). This article goes on to show that evidence suggests that abortion legalization has led to improving the average living conditions for children. This side effect of restrictive abortion laws is one that needs to be addressed. Letting children be born into unhealthy environments that promote neglect and abuse seems far worse then just allowing a women to decide to terminate her pregnancy. Limits on teens and single mothers will lead to increased births and will no doubt increase