The artificial termination of pregnancy is a pressing issue in biomedical ethics. The procedure of abortion is usually performed during a gestation period of up to twenty weeks, according to contemporary medical standards (Watson). The permissibility and restrictions of abortion are hotly debated topics. Essential moral considerations include whether life is disrupted during the abortion and how the embryo’s interests connect to those of a woman (Munson). Termination of pregnancy is a woman’s strictly personal matter in which no one should intervene, or it alludes to moral concerns that are open to public debate and possible condemnation. Abortion is complicated since it has demographic relevance, political and social importance, and a significant ethical component.
People’s attitudes against abortion currently fall into three categories. The first group of individuals believes that abortion is ethically lawful at any stage of the embryo and fetus development (Watson). The second viewpoint holds that abortion is morally acceptable only during the early stages of fetal development. Supporters of the third position think that abortion is a form of killing a person since the embryo (and fetus) is a person with the right to life from the moment of conception.
Both proponents and opponents of abortion acknowledge that a fetus is a human. At the same time, they want to consider if this ethically means that the embryo is already human. Proponents of abortion legalization make a number of points. The most important is that, even though the embryo is a human being, it is difficult to ignore the distinction between the embryo and the person (Munson). The embryo is considered to be physiologically and socially reliant on its mother since it cannot develop independently, autonomously, or outside the mother’s body but must spend nine months inside her (Munson). It is not yet autonomous prior to birth, and the act of birth defines when it becomes independent. As a result, a child’s delivery marks the start of a person’s life.
The concept that the fetus should be considered a human being is the most crucial part of the anti-abortion argument. The scientifical facts, such as having intracerebral activity and the in-gene primary elements of personality at nine weeks, contribute to the consideration of the fetus as a human being (Watson). As a result, abortion cannot be ethically justified under any circumstances. However, internal divisions are surfacing in the anti-abortion movement as a whole. Even if pregnancy and childbirth are harmful to the mother’s life, extreme anti-abortion enthusiasts believe that abortion is unacceptable (Watson). In principle, the moderate view holds abortion to be illegal but accepts it as an exception in circumstances when medical contraindications or rape are involved (Watson). The necessity of taking into account the mother’s wishes and interests justifies the acceptance of exceptions.
Despite the fact that abortion has been an issue since prehistoric times, the urgency with which it is discussed remains. The issue of abortion intensifies interpersonal relationships on moral, legal, sociopolitical, theological, and scientific levels. Abortion issues are at the forefront of contemporary ethics. Overall, society has split into several viewpoints, but some internal debates are constantly going on even within them. When examining such a complex issue, it is still pivotal to prioritize a woman’s individual decision and consider the possible hazards to the mother’s physical and mental health.
Works Cited
Munson, Ziad. Abortion politics. John Wiley & Sons, 2018.
Watson, Katie. Scarlet A: The ethics, law, and politics of ordinary abortion. Oxford University Press, 2018.