Updated:

Abortion Ban: Ethical Controversies and History of Laws Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Definition of Key Concepts

Abortion can be defined as the intentional termination of a pregnancy, which occurs within the first 28 weeks of pregnancy. This process can be dangerous when performed on a patient who is past 28 weeks. Abortion bans are the attempt to restrict the rights of women to procure an abortion when needed ((Räsänen et al., 2022). These restrictions have become more pronounced upon the Supreme Court verdict of 2022 (Räsänen et al., 2022). Various states in the United States have made abortion legal in their jurisdictions.

History of Laws/Cases on Abortion

One of the most important cases in the United States is Roe v. Wade. This is because it protected the rights of women to procure an abortion across the country. The law was, however, reversed by the Supreme Court in 2022. The court found that abortion rights are not fundamental rights which reversed the earlier decision in Roe v. Wade.

Ethical Controversies

Arguments for the ban on abortion focus on the moral aspects by comparing abortion to murder and indicating that life starts at pre-conception. Another reason is that legal abortions can result in people viewing life as disposable (Räsänen et al., 2022). On the other hand, arguments against the abortion ban focus on the bodily autonomy of women and the safety of the procedure.

Socioeconomic Implications

Abortion bans, even though well-intentioned, affect women, communities, and families significantly. This is because prohibition dictates the conditions under which women will get children and when they will participate in the labor force. Abortion bans also enhance the poverty levels for families because it increases the number of children. Minority communities are greatly impacted because these communities are at a lower economic level (Foster, 2022). Women need to make their own decisions regarding whether to keep a pregnancy.

Alternative Systems for Women

Alternative systems to abortion require states and governments to provide effective policies that govern these alternatives. One of the options is to allow another family to raise the child. Parents can go for an open adoption, where they remain in contact, or a close adoption, where there is no contact (Oberman, 2022). Another alternative is legal guardianship, which involves placing the child with another family and legally allowing them to raise the child. Parents can also decide to co-parent to reduce the burden on one parent. The most significant alternative is making contraceptives available to all women.

Groups Most Affected by Abortion ban

The minority communities (Latinx, Blacks, and Hispanics) will be significantly affected because of their limited access to reproductive healthcare. The abortion ban has enhanced the disparity that exists for minorities in accessing health care (Foster, 2022). Native American women are also likely to suffer violence because public health insurance cannot be used to pay for abortions. Low-income women who cannot afford private health insurance will also be affected.

Effect on the Socioeconomic Outcomes of Unaborted Children

Children born by mothers who were denied abortions grow up in a family with little or no love. This affects their ability to achieve specific developmental milestones. Unaborted children are also likely to experience economic hardships because of a lack of sufficient education (Foster, 2022). These children may grow to become criminals because of no guidance from their parents. Additionally, lack of education means that when they become adults they will struggle to get job opportunities.

Responsibilities of States, Cities, and Governments

States, governments, and cities have a responsibility to play when it comes to children born due to the abortion ban. The government has to ensure that the Department of Social Services is well-funded to ensure that options such as legal guardianship and adoption are available to minority communities (Oberman, 2022). Cities have the capability of meeting the nutritional needs of children who attend schools.

Reflection

Researching abortion bans has been an interesting endeavor, which has left me well-informed about the topic. The issue has been widely covered by scholars because of the impact it has on women’s rights. The arguments for and against the abortion ban have been informative. I am confident that I am well-versed in the topic. However, the different opinions that are presented by people may be confusing to readers. This is because these ideas are offered as effective, which may affect the perception of an individual reading the text.

References

Foster, D. G. (2022). New Abortion Bans Will Increase Existing Health and Economic Disparities. American Journal of Public Health, 112(9), 1276-1277. Web.

Oberman M. (2022). . Journal Of Law and the Biosciences, 9(1), lsac011. Web.

Räsänen, J., Gothreau, C., & Lippert-Rasmussen, K. (2022). Does overruling Roe discriminate against women (of color)?. Journal of Medical Ethics, jme-2022-108504. Web.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2023, December 6). Abortion Ban: Ethical Controversies and History of Laws. https://ivypanda.com/essays/abortion-ban-ethical-controversies-and-history-of-laws/

Work Cited

"Abortion Ban: Ethical Controversies and History of Laws." IvyPanda, 6 Dec. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/abortion-ban-ethical-controversies-and-history-of-laws/.

References

IvyPanda. (2023) 'Abortion Ban: Ethical Controversies and History of Laws'. 6 December.

References

IvyPanda. 2023. "Abortion Ban: Ethical Controversies and History of Laws." December 6, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/abortion-ban-ethical-controversies-and-history-of-laws/.

1. IvyPanda. "Abortion Ban: Ethical Controversies and History of Laws." December 6, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/abortion-ban-ethical-controversies-and-history-of-laws/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Abortion Ban: Ethical Controversies and History of Laws." December 6, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/abortion-ban-ethical-controversies-and-history-of-laws/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1