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The morality and legality of abortion is an important topic in applied ethics and is also discussed by legal scholars and theologians. Important facts about abortion are also researched by sociologists and historians .
Abortion has existed in most societies, although it has often been opposed by institutionalized governments and religions. In the 20th century abortion became legally accepted in most of Europe and in the United States (In some European countries, such as Germany and Spain, abortion is technically illegal even in the first trimester, although prosecution typically does not occur.) Additionally, abortion is legal and accepted in China, India and other populous countries.
The Catholic Church remains opposed to the procedure, however, and in certain countries, notably the United States and the (predominantly Catholic) Republic of Ireland, the controversy is still extremely active, to the extent that even the names of the respective positions are subject to heated debate. While those on both sides of the argument are generally peaceful, if heated, in their advocacy of their positions, the debate is sometimes characterized by violence.
The central dilemma in the abortion debate is the clash of presumed or perceived rights. On one hand is the right to life, and on the other is a woman's right to control her own body. One part of the issue involves defining when a fetusA fetus (alternatively foetus is an embryo in later stages of development, from the third month of pregnancy until birth in humans. Fetus literally means 'young one'. Fetal growth There is much natural variation in the growth of the fetus. Approximately 4 becomes a personIn colloquial English, person is often synonymous with human''. However, in philosophy, there have been debates over the precise meaning and correct usage of the word, and what the criteria for personhood are. Are all persons human? Firstly, there is the, and thus gains the inherent right to life. Even if that could be agreed upon, that right must be weighed against the rights of the mother.
How can these respective rights be balanced?
The "pro-life" argument is that an embryotadpole) of the wrinkled frog Rana rugosa . An embryo is an animal or a plant in its earliest stage of development. Plants In botany, a plant embryo is part of a seed, consisting of precursor tissues for the leaves, stem (see hypocotyl , and root (see rad (and later, a fetus) is a human life—innocent and worthy of protection—from the moment of conception and, possessing a right to life that must be respected. Therefore, abortion under any circumstance is the killing of an innocent person— murderMurder is the crime of causing the death of another human being, without lawful excuse, and with intent to kill them, or with intent to cause them grievous bodily harm. When an illegal death is not caused intentionally, but is caused by recklessness or ne—and thus wrong.
The extreme "pro-choice" argument is that a woman's right to control her pregnancy always outweighs any right claimed for the fetus up to the moment of birth, and that abortion is acceptable under any circumstance.
Outside of the extremes, balance can sometimes be reached on certain issues. For instance, some "pro-life" advocates do not consider contraceptive drugs (such as the morning-after pillThe morning-after pill also known as emergency contraception or emergency birth control is a pill regimen that a woman can take up to three days after she has had sexual intercourse to prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg in her uterus. The term m) to be abortion, though while these drugs usually work by preventing conception, they can also work by preventing a fertilized egg from implanting. Also, many "pro-life" advocates tolerate abortion in cases where the mother's life or health are at stake or in cases of rape or incest. "Pro-choice" advocates often accept a ban on abortions of "viable" fetuses, which are those that are old enough to survive outside of the mother's womb (although debate ensues as to when a fetus is viable and what constitutes viability).
Underlying this debate is another debate, over the role of the stateThis article discusses states as sovereign political entities. For other meanings, see state (disambiguation). In international law and international relations, a state is a political entity possessing sovereignty, i. not being subject to any higher polit: to what extent should the state interfere with a woman's pregnancy to protect the public interest, or to what extent should the state protect the general interest, even if it means controlling a woman's pregnancy? This is a major issue in a number of countries, such as India and China, which have tried to enforce forms of birth control (including forced sterilizationFor the process of removing or killing all microorganisms from an object, see Sterilisation (microbiology). Sterilization is a surgical technique leaving a male or female unable to procreate. It is a method of birth control. A vasectomy in males. The vasa), and the United States, which historically has limited access to birth control.
