Introduction
One episode that stuck with me as a student concerned a friend from high school who became pregnant and, out of fear of social judgment, had to get an abortion. She decided to get an abortion because she feared her parents would force her to drop out of school if they found out she was expecting. She attempted an abortion using over-the-counter drugs without consulting a doctor or getting follow-up care, and it failed. She was brought to an emergency department when she began bleeding heavily and almost lost her life. Abortion policies need to be completely changed to provide more comprehensive support to women, as they may suffer from severe complications and mental health issues, such as stress and depression if they are neglected.
The Roe v. Wade that Helped End Abortion
Roe v. Wade is a 1973 historic ruling by the Supreme Court that affirmed the constitutional privilege to seek a safe and legal abortion. By reversing Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that the constitutional privilege of abortion, which had been sustained for almost half a century, no longer existed (Mangan and Breuninger). In over half of the states, abortion privileges will be pushed back immediately, with other restrictions expected to follow. For all intents and purposes, abortion will not be accessible in significant portions of the United States.
Although some governments strive to limit bodily autonomy and eradicate abortion rights outright, others fight to safeguard and enhance these rights. The state-level limitations and bans on abortion that have been enacted take various shapes. Still, they all aim to terminate the availability of legal abortion treatment in the United States. Included are coverage limits, parental involvement legislation, and medically unnecessary criteria, all aimed at restricting access to abortion services.
Policy on Self-administration of Abortion Pills
Attempts to induce an abortion by oneself carry the risk of death. Abortion is a prevalent reproductive health concern worldwide, yet it may be exceedingly dangerous and even deadly if it is not performed safely. The World Health Organization classifies as unsafe abortion any abortion performed by a layperson, including those performed using an abortion pill (Rath et al.).
Incomplete abortions, ectopic pregnancies, uterine perforations, and cervical injuries are just some of the consequences that may result from unsafe abortion. It has grown into an international health crisis since it is the leading cause of maternal death and morbidity. Safe medical abortion is a viable option to surgical abortion; however, it poses significant risks if self-administered. The subsequent vaginal and abdominal bleeding might be fatal. Only by prohibiting the sale of abortion medicines over the counter can this be averted.
Mandatory Counselling
Policies pertaining to abortion need to be revised in order to provide women who experience post-abortion depression a kind of assistance that is both more all-encompassing and more persistent. There is evidence to suggest that persons who are seeking abortions, on average, have worse levels of mental health as a starting point than those who are not seeking abortions (Ogbu-Nwobodo et al. 1614). On the other hand, this poor mental health is partly the product of structural injustices, which disproportionately expose some groups to poverty, trauma, and unfavorable childhood experiences. Counseling services are very necessary in order to assist women who may be experiencing traumatic experiences or abuse at the hands of an abusive spouse and may be considering abortion as a solution.
Those who are giving birth or pregnant are more likely to be urged by health experts to prevent terminating pregnancies because of the stigma and prejudice surrounding the practice. This is due to the fact that the procedure may easily result in complications. Counseling for women contemplating abortion helps them make a choice about an unexpected pregnancy, carry out their decision, and have more control over their fertility in the future (Bain).
A pregnancy, particularly one that was unplanned, could come with a certain amount of added stress. Due to this, some shoppers would legitimately demand some help. For a pregnant woman to be in a position to make specific, informed choices, they must first have access to trustworthy counseling on opting-in grounds. Thus, this creates a space for a fair dialogue to take place between both the pregnant women and the healthcare experts.
Government-Mandated Delays Before Abortion
Delays imposed by the government may hinder women’s access to abortions. In recent research performed following the closure of nearly half of the clinics in Texas, it was determined that women endured greater expense and travel and delays in having an abortion (Koenig et al. 9). For many women, the first travel to an abortion physician is exceedingly stressful, and a return trip is impossible.
Studies on the frequency of abortion facilities in the United States corroborate participants’ observations of a decline in the accessibility of abortion services for the clients (Koenig et al. 9). Between 2011 and 2014, the number of abortion centers fell by 6%. (Koenig et al. 9). Due to a physician shortage, most abortion facilities in the U.S. only perform abortions once or twice every week (Koenig et al. 9). Hence, it is difficult for a lot of women to easily get access to trained healthcare professionals who can perform these procedures.
Given these circumstances, many women, especially those living in remote regions where abortion doctors are few, must travel several miles to access the closest clinic. When the expense of an abortion escalates as the pregnancy progresses, government-mandated delays render abortion inaccessible for many women (Koenig et al. 9). In addition to the rising cost of the procedure itself, it requires women to make two visits to the clinic causes additional expenses. Women must plan to take more time off, perhaps endangering jobs they cannot bear to lose, locating additional child care, and scrambling for funds to cover the increased travel and accommodation expenses caused by the forced delay.
The Hyde Amendment
Due to the increase in illegal abortions, abortion laws that limit private or public insurance coverage of abortion services and restrict public financing for abortion must stay unchanged. Congress implemented the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funds from being utilized to pay for abortions outside of the exclusions for rape, or if the gestation is determined to jeopardize the woman’s life (Upadhyay et al. 2). As a result, Medicaid and other federal agencies have markedly limited coverage for abortions (Upadhyay et al. 2).
From its inception more than four decades ago, the provision has been proposed and supported by politicians who condemn abortion and specifically disagree with the federal government’s usage of public funds for abortion procedures. Without Medicaid coverage for abortion, women must pay out of their pocket for the operation, despite prices varying depending on region, institution, and gestational age. Those seeking abortions are sometimes forced to borrow money or depend on local donation-based charities that give financial and logistical aid. The elimination of the Hyde Amendment from the funding bill would not instantly provide abortion funding to women enrolled in other programs with restrictions similar to the Hyde Amendment.
Certain state-level policies, referred to as targeted regulation of abortion providers (TRAP) legislation, put onerous restrictions on abortion practitioners and abortion-providing centers. Such policies are related to a decline in the number of abortion providers in the United States. This state’s abortion regulations must stay unchanged to prevent the growing number of abortions, particularly among young women.
Together, stringent state-level rules erect many social, logistical, and monetary obstacles to abortion and, in some circumstances, make it impossible for individuals to receive one. Numerous abortion limitations, such as prohibitions on gestational limits, insurance coverage, and TRAP legislation, increase the number of persons and the miles they must travel to have an abortion. Several of these difficulties are worsened for young people who live in rural areas, are poor, or have been pregnant for more than 12 weeks (Upadhyay et al. 2). Additional logistical obstacles, such as insurance problems, monetary obstacles, such as the need to acquire funds for transport and procedure charges, are typical causes for abortion seeking delays.
Restricting Abortion Access Promotes Poor Maternal Outcomes
Abortion rights advocates argue that women have the right to make choices about reproductive health and that safe and lawful abortion is crucial for women’s health and well-being. Numerous limitations on abortion, including waiting periods, mandated ultrasounds, and seeking parental consent, have been demonstrated to increase the prevalence of unsafe abortions rather than diminish the necessity for abortion. Unsafe abortion is rare in the United States; however, with the advent of laws that limit access to reproductive health, the incidence of abortion-related fatalities may escalate (Ravi).
In the 45 years after Roe v. Wade, the number of state-based abortion restrictions has increased, which may have led to a rise in maternal death rates (Ravi). Increases in maternal mortality are correlated with state-level restrictions on abortion and financing for reproductive health services. In the event of an unwanted pregnancy, the constraints and difficulties women encounter in pursuing an abortion might result in anxiety and the delay of crucial prenatal care, hence adding to maternal death rates. Based on how advanced a pregnancy is, obtaining an abortion may involve a considerable amount of money, time, and other resources, which differ from one state to another (Ravi). If a pregnancy is unexpected, overcoming obstacles to having an abortion, such as traveling hundreds of miles or gathering funds as the cost of the treatment grows, may be detrimental to the mother’s and child’s health.
Conclusion
My encounter as a student, which included seeing a colleague hospitalized after an abortion, has led me to conclude that abortion rules regarding its illegality must stay unchanged and that severe measures must be implemented. Some believe that abortion is unethical, breaches the dignity of life, and that the unborn child has a right to life that should be safeguarded by legislation. In addition, they say that abortion has harmful psychological and emotional impacts on women and that measures like adoption should be promoted. However, since young women are more likely to have access to medications they use during abortions without the supervision of competent medical staff, they are at a greater risk for abortion-related complications. Nevertheless, proponents of abortion rights argue that women have the right to decide about their reproductive health and that safe, legal abortion is essential to women’s health and well-being.
Works Cited
Bain, Luchuo Engelbert. “Mandatory Pre-Abortion Counseling Is a Barrier to Accessing Safe Abortion Services.” Pan African Medical Journal, vol. 35. 2020. Web.
Koenig, Shelby, et al. “Exploring Prenatal Genetic Counselors’ Perceptions of Abortion Laws in Restrictive States.” Journal of Genetic Counseling vol. 28, no.4 2019: 1-12. Web.
Mangan, Dan, and Kevin Breuninger. “Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade, Ending 50 Years of Federal Abortion Rights.” CNBC, 2022. Web.
Ogbu-Nwobodo, Lucy, et al. “Mental Health Implications of Abortion Restrictions for Historically Marginalized Populations.” New England Journal of Medicine, edited by Debra Malina, vol. 387, no. 17, Oct. 2022, pp. 1613–17. Web.
Rath, Sudhansu, et al. “Analysis of Complications and Management After Self-Administration of Medical Termination of Pregnancy Pills.” Cureus. 2021. Web.
Ravi, Anusha. “Limiting Abortion Access Contributes to Poor Maternal Health Outcomes.” Center for American Progress. 2021. Web.
Upadhyay, Ushma D., et al. “State Abortion Policies and Medicaid Coverage of Abortion are Associated with Pregnancy Outcomes Among Individuals Seeking Abortion Recruited Using Google Ads: A National Cohort Study.” Social Science & Medicine 274, 2021: p. 1-11. Web.