Abortion is a hot trigger topic that can immediately divide a room, but one thing must be agreed on and that is the fact that abortion is healthcare. At a minimum, women must have access to abortions for the sheer sake that some pregnancies can result in a woman’s death. Women should also be placed above a fetus if it comes down to a decision between her and her baby.
Abortion is typically legal in instances where the mother’s life is at risk. That being said, there are still many countries in all corners of the world where abortion is still outright banned. Doctors could be well aware that their patient will not survive and yet still not be able to do anything about it, despite the clear and obvious answer.
Abortion rights, however, go beyond that. Abortion as healthcare goes beyond that. That’s why it’s so important to have safe, unbiased access to abortion clinics that put the mother first. Her body, her choice. Otherwise, the consequences are too high.
Domestic Abuse
When a woman’s partner vehemently does not want a baby, and has already been violent, domestic abuse rates can soar. That’s why it’s not just important that a woman has access to abortion, but also women’s health services that would give her the choice. In both instances, whether to abort or keep the baby, the final decision must ultimately lie with the mother. Women’s health services that offer abortion can do more than just terminate a pregnancy. They can also offer supportive care and help women in abusive situations get out.
Mental Health
Being forced to undergo a pregnancy belly, you do not want can be incredibly traumatizing for the mother. This is especially true in instances of sexual assault. Sexual Assault victims who are forced to carry their assailant’s child and then raise the child can experience severe mental illnesses from anxiety disorders like PTSD all the way to post-depression syndrome. Being forced to carry a baby which is the result of an attack is in many ways revictimization. The mental health symptoms can be so severe that it leads women to take the matter into their own hands. It can also result in an increased risk of suicide.
Birth Defects
A perfectly planned pregnancy can go awry due to birth defects, and not all can be handled with modern-day science. Fetuses can be born without essential organs, like their brains or lungs. They will never be able to survive on their own without their mother. Forcing a woman to carry such an infant to term is traumatizing and incredibly dangerous. Getting an abortion means avoiding the physical trauma of birth and gives the mother more time to grieve the child she wanted.
Abortion Restriction Risk
Banning abortion does only one thing. It ends safe abortions. Women who are desperate to end their pregnancy for one reason or another will then turn to back-alley methods. This may be an illegal clinic, or it may be right at home. Attempting to induce an abortion at home through physical means can result in hemorrhaging and death, especially if done without anyone knowing who could have otherwise gone to get help.
