My reasoning for fully supporting the right to choose is due to several.
As a WOMAN, I would not want to bear the child of a rapist. I would not want to have a child out somewhere wondering who his real mother and father are, only to come home and find out his father was a criminal and his mother never wanted him. The emotional toll that a child, adult or otherwise would go through after discovering such a thing in many cases is traumatizing. In ALL cases of rape, abortions are fair if the mother chooses to want one. No woman should be FORCED by law to CARRY a rapists child for 9 months, taking care of the fetus and herself, getting checkups for it (medical bills if no insurance, yes?). If the mother feels that she cannot have an abortion, she will decide that on her own. I'm sure not all raped women who were impregnated would opt for abortions, some have more morals than that. But those individuals who don't feel a strong moral or religious belief binding them to the child shouldn't be forced to carry it because some individuals in the country view life differently than she does. It is her private issue and her body. It makes me sick when people say in ALL cases a woman should carry it.
Now, the reason why I support abortions for those who choose it. With the poverty rate on a rise and seeing prices rising, I would not begrudge a woman who chose to get an abortion because they do not feel that they can support a child. Myself, I don't want a child until I'm out of college, I have a job, I have a place to live and I'm settled in with my basic needs. If someone is barely able to afford food for themself, I think that they should be able to make the individual choice to abort bringing a child into a poverished life. It is unfair to demand that a woman carries a child for 9 months only to have to give it up, when if they would have been able to afford the child, they would've gladly kept it in their arms and cared for it. I would much rather see a woman make a right decision than have their child raised on the streets, or be mistreated. If a woman cannot provide for a child that in itself breaks the law. Endangering welfare of a child. My main argument here is against adoption at the time of early pregnancy and conception. If you know you are pregnant and can have an abortion instead of adoption, I think a woman should be able to choose that if they want. I don't believe adoption is the next best thing to abortion. Abortion is something the mother or parents choose on their own. Adoption is something that affects the life of the child long after it is born. It also affects the mother who wished she could keep the child she had. Myself, I would never give my child up for adoption if I couldn't afford it. I'm sure other women in worse situations than I am would say the same. I really have a downward looking view on adoption. It is a good thing in some cases, but in another its very unfortunate.
While I don't support all reasons for having an abortion, I do support an individual decision to choose. If an individual does not want to lose their quality of life and an accidental pregnancy occurs, I think if they are willing to have the burden of their actions, so be it.
A no brainer for me, if the mothers life is in danger, I would opt for the woman's right to choose her own life over her child's. As cruel as my view may be on this, the woman has family, has friends, has a life, has something to live for. The fetus or child, is just beginning life. I know many argue that the child has a whole life ahead of them, but I still would allow a mother to choose. I think it would be absolutely unfair for legal-binding laws to force the mother to die for its child, now that medical technology has the ability to save a woman during pregnancy. I personally would probably save my own life instead of the child. Selfish I guess, but I can always try to have another child after more precautions are taken, and I could always adopt. Thats my personal opinion, and I think other women have the right to choose the same way I would. I know many would sacrifice their life, but there are also many who wouldn't.
Personally? I would look to my friends and family and I'm sure that I would be able to handle a child with their support. Some women are not fortunate enough to be in that situation, and I refuse to begrudge them because of it. I would not get an abortion myself, but I acknowledge another woman may think differently than me, and if she chooses to make that choice, she must live with it and all consequences that come with it. I'm not sure what I would do in a case of rape honestly. I'd pray it never happens and I couldn't say how I'd react at present time.
The only time that I frown on a woman getting an abortion is if they are using it as a form of contraception. We debated this in one of my classes, and there are some women who have had up to 10 abortions within a 3-4 year period. I feel doctors should be advised and a medical history recorded of pregnancies. If a women is not being safe about her sexual activity, then I would like to see doctors prevent the viable alternatives, one being adoption, other being forms of contraception that may be more permanent. There should be a limit on the number of abortions which a woman may have. That is my only personal feeling toward restrictions on it.
I am against partial birth abortion. If you can't make a decision on whether or not you want a child at the time these abortions are performed, then it is time to just have the child and deal with the consequences. Take care of it or give it up for adoption. For anyone who does not know the procedure, it is pretty gruesome. If the fetus can live outside the womb, it shouldn't be aborted.
I do not have well-set religious beliefs. My view is that until a fetus is viable, it cannot live. Someone with religious beliefs will surely find a million flaws in my reasoning, but its my reasoning. In my opinion, it is violating an individuals privacy rights to have protesters of abortion and right wingers in Washington deciding whether or not a woman may have an abortion. If it isn't someone in your family or circle of friends, then it isn't your business to decide for someone else. Thats how I see it.
Keep in mind that abortion also takes a toll on the woman who receives one. If she's willing to live with destroying her potential child and the reaction from the father, relatives and others, then it is her choice. I couldn't have an abortion myself, but I'm not going to let my views and my choices influence people I don't even know.
And I don't think a man should be able to force a woman to have an abortion. The man is the one who impregnates the woman, they do not have to carry the child. It is a really hard issue, because if I were the father I would want to have a say in regards to the child, but ultimately if the woman is comfortable or feels that she is ready for a child and is willing to carry it full term, the man should not be able to force her to go through something traumatizing. Suck it up guys.
In regards to a man being informed about the potential abortion, in a perfect world I would expect regulations where the man at least acknowledges his child is being aborted, but the world isn't perfect. Pregnancy from conception to birth takes a much larger toll on a female than a man, obviously. If a woman is desperate to have an abortion, she should be able to make and live with this choice. While on personal levels I don't agree with it, I understand that my opinions shouldn't have an impact on someone elses life choices.
