Is Abortion Ethical?

Abortion is a widely and heavily debated subject in which usually has a strong political or religious tie. To render whether abortion is ethical or not, we need to look at it from an ethical stand point and release religious and political ties. Should abortion be treated as if it is murder, or be an applicable option for women to choose the right over their body? To begin with, there are different factors to consider in making a complete and fully educated decision.

• Does the mother have an ethical obligation to the fetus?

This is an essential thought to consider when trying to answer the question if abortion is ethical or not. First, look at the precursor to the situation, or pregnancy. Was the woman aware that there was a chance that she may become pregnant? Meaning, was contraception used, were precautions taken to ensure that pregnancy wouldn’t happen? Many argue that whether the fetus is looked at as a person or not, that the mother has an obligation to the fetus.

• Is abortion ethical to the fetus?

Does abortion treat the fetus in a way that is unfair or unethical? Most debates on abortion highly assert importance on whether or not the fetus is a person. There are two sides to this question, and both sides are passionate and strong in their convictions. Those who argue for abortion state that the fetus is not human yet, and those who argue against abortion feel as though the fetus is humanlike and has the comparable likeness to a baby.

• Autonomy of the body

Many people argue that the woman has control of her body, and that abortion should not be frowned upon because it is her body and her choice. In this perspective, the death of the fetus is just a consequence of bodily autonomy and nothing more.

• Ethics of birthing an unwanted child

Many people argue that it is not ethical to birth a child which they will not care for, not tend to, and not want. Whether the baby ends up being adopted or poorly taken care of would be a consequence of committing to carrying the baby to full term. Is it ethical to put a child in a position such as this, if it is not ethical to ends it’s life before it has scientifically started?

From an ethical standpoint, it would seem that each side has it’s own downfalls, flaws, and unfair qualities. Whether the baby be carried to full term and raised in a poor environment, or adopted, the baby may grow up later to find out that its mother considered abortion. This does extreme psychological and emotional trauma to an individual. It can also be argued that it is unfair to take a life which essentially is not necessarily yours to take, though for a period of time, you are in charge of it.