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Abortion: A Personal Choice

Author: Athena B. Madison















Pasadena City College
Professor Kalustian, Speech 6
April 6, 2014



Abortion: A Personal Choice

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Abstract

This paper represents a pro-choice stand on abortion while addressing some commonly voiced counter
arguments that make up the social issue of abortion. The medical practice of abortion in its entirety is and
should remain legal in order to ensure that women have access to legal and safe abortions. Throughout this
paper various sources will be sighted including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, abbreviated as
CDC. Disclaimer: This paper does not address every common counter argument as it is constrained to one
page, yet it touches the surface of commonly voiced concerns, disproved by fact and supported by the common
thread that everyone has a personal choice.





























Abortion: A Personal Choice

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The concept of abortion is one that pulls on the hearts strings of everyone due in part to the complexity
of overlapping ethics, science, religion and personal choice. The act of abortion should remain legal.
Historically, abortion has been practiced for thousands of years; only in Americas inception did abortion
become illegal as it is considered amongst many others the taking of a life and interference with religious
principles. The issue of abortion is solely due to attitudinal inherency, various opinions come into play clouding
the true issue and solution at hand.
It is true that life begins at inception; because technically there is a growing life form. Yet according to
the CDC (2013) 91.9% of abortions are performed during the first trimester. This is a time when the fetus is
dependent on the mother to an extent that it cannot exist on its own, signifying that a fetus at this stage cannot
be considered a separate entity and therefore disproving the common counter argument of murder (10 Abortion
Arguments, 2014., para.11). A commonly suggested alternative to abortion is adoption, yet adoption is not an
alternative because it is still the mothers choice less than 3% of women choose to relinquish their child once it
is born (10 Abortion Arguments, 2014., para.13). It is also argued that many women use abortion as a means
of contraception, while this is seemingly so, there are a multitude of contraceptives that have gotten women
pregnant despite proper usage. These are common counter arguments that underlie true concerns, yet science
and research proves that legal abortions are ultimately a personal choice regardless of our personal opinion.
There are many reasons that a woman can be prompted to seek out an alternative such as an abortion.
Many women that seek abortions are poor and realize that they have no means to provide for this child, perhaps
the contraceptive failed or it was consequence of rape or incest, perhaps there was danger to the womans
health, or to prevent the birth of a baby with defects. The world is not entitled to know why a mother chooses to
relinquish her baby before its birth, yet it is a mothers civil right to have control over her body and in essence
her future. The medical practice of abortion in its entirety is and should remain legal in order to ensure that
women have access to legal and safe abortions. Why a mother would choose abortion is none of our concern, it
is her choice.
Abortion: A Personal Choice

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References
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). Reproductive Health. Data and Statistics,.
Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/Data_Stats/
2. Lowen, L. (2014). Abortion Arguments from Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Sides & Main Points of
Debate. 10 Abortion Arguments: 10 Arguments For Abortion, 10 Arguments Against Abortion.
Retrieved from http://womensissues.about.com/od/reproductiverights/a/AbortionArgumen.htm

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