Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy before birth, resulting in the death of the fetus. Some abortions occur naturally because a fetus does not develop normally or because the mother has an injury or disorder that prevents her from carrying the pregnancy to term. This type of spontaneous abortion is commonly known as a miscarriage. Other abortions are induced or intentionally brought on because a pregnancy is unwanted or presents a risk to a woman's health. Induced abortion has become one of the most intense and diverse ethical and philosophical issues of the late 20th century. Modern medical techniques have made induced abortions simpler and less dangerous. But in the United States, the debate over abortion has led to legal battles in the courts, in the United States Congress, and state legislatures. It has spilled over into confrontations, which are sometimes violent, at clinics where abortions are performed. This paper discusses the most common methods !used to induce abortions, the social and ethical issues surrounding abortion, and the history of the regulation of abortion in the United States. Induced abortions are performed using one of several methods. The age of the fetus, or the length of pregnancy
Since the Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion in 1973, Pro-life supporters have worked continuously to reverse the decision. They have lobbied state and federal officials to place restrictions on women seeking abortions or on individuals providing abortions. They have also held protests directed at clinics that perform abortions and, in some cases, have accosted and obstructed patients and providers at such clinics. In May 1994 the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act was enacted, which made it a federal crime to use force, threat of force, or physical obstruction to injure, intimidate, or interfere with reproductive health care providers and their patients. That same year, in a case known as Madsen v. Women's Health Center, the Supreme Court upheld the basic right to protest in peaceful, organized demonstrations outside abortion clinics. But the case upheld a Florida law that created a 36-ft (11 m) buffer zone around a clinic to ensure that demonstrations do! ting an abortion. Consent is not necessary if a confidential alternative form of review, such as a judicial hearing, is made available for young women who choose not to involve their parents. The court stated that a judicial court might approve a minor's abortion, in place of her parents, if the judge finds that the minor is mature enough to make the decision on her own. If the judge finds that the minor is not capable of making this decision on her own, the court can decide whether the abortion is in her best interest. "Abortion." Encyclopedia Encarta 1998 ed. As mentioned before, abortion has become one of the most widely debated ethical issues of our time. On one side are Pro-choice supporters, which are individuals who favor a woman's reproductive rights, including the right to choose to have an abortion. At this end of the ethical spectrum are defenders who believe the fetus is only a potential human being until it is born. Until this time, the fetus has no legal rights. The rights belong to the woman carrying the fetus. She can decide whether or not to bring the pregnancy to full term. On the other side are the Pro-life advocates, who oppose abortion except in extreme circumstances, as when the mother's life would be threatened by carrying a pregnancy to term. AT this end of the spectrum are supporters who believe the fetus is a human being from the time of conception. That as a fetus, it has the legal right to life from the moment the egg and sperm unite. Between these positions lies a continuum of ethical and politi! National Abortion Federation, Teen Women, Abortion and the Law. [online] http://www.prochoice.org/facts/teens.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Since the 1989 Supreme Court decision in Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, the court has permitted several state-imposed restrictions to stand. The Webster case upheld a Missouri law that prohibits the use of public facilities or public employees for abortion and requires a physician to determine the viability of a fetus older than 20 weeks before performing an abortion. In the 1991 case of Rust v. Sullivan, the court upheld a federal policy that prevented health care providers who received federal funding from engaging in any activities that encouraged or promoted abortion as a method of family planning. President Bill Clinton later revoked this
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Approximate Word count = 2294
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)
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