The coexistence of opposite and conflicting feelings about abortion is centuries old. In the past few decades the abortion issue has been brought into sharper focus and has been strongly debated. Judges have ruled, politicians have legislated, cases have been fought for the right to choose (Roe vs. Wade being the most famous), but the controversy on this issue is still shaking our society. Many of these cases have been hard cases with very personal feelings, but due to the perseverance of pro-choice supporters everywhere the right to choose has been won. Because of this a woman should have the right to a safe and legal abortion without the interference of the government.

There are many reasons why a woman chooses to have an abortion. Aside from the fact that a baby might not be convenient at the time, there are health reasons involved. A large percentage of women who deal with unwanted pregnancies are teenagers. It is most often unsafe for them to go through pregnancy. Dr. Henry Morgentaler writes: "Mortality among pregnant teens is sixty percent higher than among adult women, one reason being that the pregnancy depletes the resources that they need for their own

Another issue to consider is when the pregnant woman in question is an older woman. From a medical point of view their health is also in danger. "Probability of complication during childbirth and congenital malformations in the offspring increases significantly after age forty. It is estimated that about 25% of Down's syndrome children are born to mothers over forty" (Morgentaler, 34).

The issue of rape has to be considered when we discuss the importance of the women to be able to have a safe and legal abortion of her own free will. It seems obvious to most people that there should not be a law that forces a woman who is pregnant as the result of rape to continue with this pregnancy. She has been through enough without having to endure a pregnancy that would be a constant reminder of what happened to her. Having this type of law in place shows only concern for the unborn and not the already born: that is the victim of the rape herself.

The reasons why women have abortions vary. It may be a case of rape, a physical, or psychological condition. A choice must be and needs to be available to prevent the birth of unwanted children, to avoid damage to the child as well as safeguard the emotional and physical health of women. Lets face it, not every child born is wanted. All over the world there are children starving, being raped, dying, or being beaten up b

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 926
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)