On Abortion

         We start off on one of the most debated topics in America and probably the world. In truth, abortion has existed since the Egyptian era in 1550 BC [1].  I was as surprised as you probably are now to discover that this practice has gone on since the time of Alexander the Great. Many of the methods were non-surgical, utilizing techniques such as strenuous labor, paddling, weightlifting or diving. Other methods were the utilization of leaves, bloodletting and the utilization of hot water being poured upon the abdomen to expel the unborn child[2]. These practices were especially common among Greek and Roman circles, where it was believed that the child was not human until they breathed life; therefore, the concept of utilizing such methods were deemed acceptable by a majority of the culture[3]. In later years, surgical aspects were added by the Maori in New Zealand by the addition of a belt around the abdomen which would be gradually tightened[4]. I’m not an expert in female anatomy, but I’m pretty sure that this method would be more effective than the leaves or the bloodletting. If you ARE an expert, please let me know. Most of these methods were unsuccessful and led to the death of the mother. When the Nineteenth Century rolled around, even with a greater knowledge of surgical precision, the death rate among abortion in New York was 30%[5]. Believe it or not, the surgical ability of this time to perform an abortion was so bad that the Doctors actually recommended abstinence as a better alternative! As time went on and knowledge of surgical proceeding continued, the mortality rate of the mother has declined to a mere .0006% for the woman[6]. As a side note, despite my personal beliefs on this matter, I am glad that one has a better chance of being struck by lightning than dying from an abortion.

            Now for the pros concerning this matter, and believe it or not, I agree with the ones that I am going to point out. To start off, the Supreme Court decided, by a 7-2 vote, that a woman has the right to decide what does and does not happen to her body[7]. We all are aware of the belly and breast changes that occur during pregnancy, and I won’t dare claim to be an expert in this area but it’s absolutely terrifying to know just how much the body and the life of a woman can change forever when a child is growing inside of her! We as men are aware of some of these but did you know that her spine curves to make room for the baby to have room in the womb[8]? I didn’t. Did you know that the pelvis actually expands and reshapes itself in order to prepare for birth[9]? I didn’t know that one either. Not to mention, if the woman isn’t prepared to handle that kind of responsibility, why should she be forced to handle it? It has been shown that women who are denied the ability to gain access to abortion are more likely to live on welfare and lead lives of domestic violence due to the fact that they typically stay in the relationship with the father of an unwanted child[10]. And this is the final support that I agree with when it comes to this subject: no child should come into this world unwanted. When children are brought into this world in this manner, they are subjugated to low birth weight, domestic violence, maternal depression, increased risk of child abuse, lower educational attainment, delayed entry into prenatal care, a high risk of physical violence during pregnancy, and reduced rates of breastfeeding[11]. The sad part of this story is that nearly forty-nine percent of pregnancies in America are unintended[12].

            Now we get into the stuff that might get me into trouble, the antithesis. I won’t tackle this debate the way that most people do it by bashing people over the head with a Bible and damning them to Hell. Rather, I will do it by looking at the matter in a more rational way. There are so many contraceptives out there, ranging from condoms to injections to implants that prevent pregnancy in the first place. Why is this an issue? Now, I know that there is ALWAYS a chance to conceive, but overlooking Divine Intervention, you cannot tell me that if you utilize an implant, he uses a condom and he pulls out, you are going to get pregnant. I suppose what I am saying here is this: if you find yourself with an unplanned pregnancy in a situation where you are not capable of taking care of a child and it is not a criminal act which caused you to conceive such as rape or incest, then you are utilizing either unsafe sex or having what I like to call SWS: Sex While Stupid. Should you find yourself in a situation of SWS, I find no real sympathy for you. I feel that, if you don’t want the child, there are so many good people out there who want to have children who will gladly raise that kid as if they were their own. Give the child to them! In 2002, there were over two million women who were wanting to adopt children in America[13]. There’s one problem: 854,122 children were aborted that same year[14]. Let’s put that into perspective for you: 854,122 potential adoptions will never happen. 854,122 birthdays won’t be celebrated. 854,122 children won’t be tucked into bed at night, won’t get an opportunity to celebrate Christmas, hear their parents say “I love you”. I won’t debate whether or not a life begins at conception or birth with anyone, I really don’t care. I do believe that no one can escape this tragic truth: these lives won’t be lived because of 854,122 women who decided that their lives, their comfort, was more important than the potential lives of their unborn children.

            In conclusion, I find myself unstayed in my belief, which is this: I do not believe in abortion. Let me explain before you light the torches and grab the pitchforks! I personally do not believe in abortion. I am not an expert in pregnancy, nor do I believe that any male, even a Gynecologist who is a male can be. It’s just like how I believe a woman can’t be an expert in Masculinity. However, I do believe that a woman should either own up to a pregnancy or hand the unwanted child off at birth to someone else who does want them. However, we do live in a country where freedom is our greatest ally. As such, I feel that my beliefs shouldn’t overshadow the thoughts of others and history tells us that abortions will continue to happen. I would feel more comfortable if they were performed in a clean environment where the chance of dying is virtually non-existent rather than in a back-alley clinic or at home with a coat hanger. As much as I loath the thought of throwing away a life, that’s my personal belief and I cannot fault a woman based upon a decision which she made based upon her own body. I can only hope that she will either make the decision to put the child up for adoption at some point or will only subject herself for one abortion, the trauma of the incident reminding her of just what is going on concerning her body. I hope that she understands that the potential life that was lost, while it could have been dismal, could at the same time have been exceptional in capable hands. So, I end with this: if you don’t want to have a baby, don’t have Sex While Stupid, at the very least consider adoption as an alternative before committing to abortion and if you are Hell-bent on getting one, understand that the argument of life at conception is irrelevant; what IS relevant is the potential life that the child could live if it has the chance.

[1] Brodie, Janet Farrell (1997). Contraception and abortion in nineteenth-century America.

[2] Devereux, G (1967). "A typological study of abortion in 350 primitive, ancient, and pre-industrial societies". In Harold Rosen. Abortion in America: Medical, psychiatric, legal, anthropological, and religious considerations.

[3] Sallares, J. Robert (2003), "abortion", in Hornblower, Simon; Spawforth, Anthony, The Oxford Classical Dictionary (3rd ed.), Oxford: OxfordUP, p. 1, ISBN 978-0-19-860641-3

[4] Gluckman LK (June 1981). "Abortion in the nineteenth century Maori: a historical and ethnopsychiatric review". The New Zealand Medical Journal. 93 (685): 384–6. PMID 7019788.

[5] Doan 2007, p. 47.

[6] https://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-tang/5-things-that-are-more-le_b_8630572.html

[7] Roe v. Wade,US Supreme Court, lp.findlaw.com, Jan. 22, 1973

[8] https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/body-changes-infographic#6

[9] https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/body-changes-infographic#6

[10] Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH), University of California at San Francisco, "Turnaway Study," ansirh.org (accessed Apr. 22, 2014)

[11] Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, "Family Planning Program," colorado.gov (accessed Apr. 21, 2014)

[12] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "Unintended Pregnancy Prevention: Home" , cdc.gov (accessed Oct. 20, 2010)

[13] Child Welfare Information Gateway, US Department of Health and Human Services, "Persons Seeking to Adopt," childwelfare.gov, Feb. 2011

[14] https://www.cdc.gov/Mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5407a1.htm