Antonia Bravo
Philosophy 112
Phase 1
11/02/2014
Taboo of Abortion: Who is right? The life of an embryo depends on differences in societies and cultures, along with morals and beliefs. However, these alone cannot prove when an embryo is actually a person. With a mixture of all, people determine how and when an embryo develops into a human being. Although the variety provides different insights, it also cause controversy amongst opponents. Thus the birth of pro-choice and pro-life is born, both competing on each side of the controversy of abortion. The taboo of abortion has gained national attention due to the nature and processes. Generally abortion is performed before twelve weeks gestation, or three months along in the pregnancy, but some do occur later in the pregnancy. The processes include removing the embryo from the uterus through a expansion of methods. These methods include: RU-486 which is a drug given to a woman after a missed menstrual period to deplete the nutrients of the uterine walls, and then again to allow the uterus to contract. Suction Aspiration acts as a vacuum cleaner to the uterus by breaking down and removing pieces of an embryo as well as the placenta. Dilation and Curettage formally known as D&C is similar to Suction Aspiration, but instead of suction the embryo and placenta are scrapped from the body and tossed. These are commonly performed by the twelve weeks stated earlier, however late term abortions are performed as well. These include: Prostaglandin abortion and Dilation Extraction. Both include a fetus that has developed far enough to be considered capable to live outside of the womb. The fetus is extracted from the uterus and removed ending further development. Pro-choice advocates conclude it is the choice of a woman to determine if she should carry the pregnancy full-term, or to terminate it. According to beliefs of pro-choice persons life does not begin at conception, but means the sperm and egg have met resulting in pregnancies. They claim a fetus or embryo has no human rights until they have been birthed. Lastly their main concern is fighting for the right of women to control their reproductive lives. They do this through claims such as if abortion were to become obsolete in the medical field, there would be more unsafe abortions performed. Pro-choice advocates are concerned about the health of the woman. Pro-life advocates believe life begins at conception and shall not be tampered with. Their goal is to fight for the life of a fetus to continue based on biblical beliefs or morals. Driven by the commandments of the bible (thou shall not kill), pro-life concludes abortion is murdering innocent lives. The group fights for the rights of the fetus as it is believed they have personhood at the moment of conception. The main concerns for the pro-life advocates is the development and life of the fetus that faces potential abortion. Due to the nature of abortion there is a split between society's opinion of abortion. As in most debates, more than less favor their side without giving motion to the other side. Two examples are Barbara Hewson, pro-choice advocate and Paul Swope, pro-life advocate. Barbara Hewson is a lawyer, who is pro-choice abortion. Her opinion on abortion based out of her journal “Reproductive autonomy and the ethics of abortion” is “I see abortion as an issue that overwhelmingly concerns the autonomy and dignity of the pregnant woman herself”(Hewson, ii10). Hewson prides herself in having an understanding in autonomy of women and law while she fights for the women right to continue or discontinue a pregnancy. To get an idea of how her side developed, Hewson says pregnancy is “Inextricably bound up with how society views sex, women, and the fertile woman in particular. Pregnancy and birth are not minor inconveniences, such as having a cold. They constitute a major life event, which even when welcome causes immense discomfort and disruption to many women”(ii10).