Abortion: Roe V. Wade and Abortion Law Essay

Submitted By emdorsey
Words: 2759
Pages: 12
Open Document
Abortion: A Never Ending Controversy Approximately 205 million abortions occur each year worldwide. Over a third are unintended and about a fifth end in abortion. What is abortion? Abortion is the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus prior to viability. In other words, it is when a mother decides she doesn’t want to go through with her pregnancy. Abortion in today’s society has become very political. You are either pro-choice, pro-life, and there doesn’t seem to be a happy medium. As we look at abortion and research its history, should it remain legal in the United States, or should it be outlawed, we must consider both points of views. November 14, 1979, with the temperature outside at fifteen degrees, a two pound baby girl was found in a field wrapped up in a wet, dirty, old shirt. The umbilical cord was still attached, and the baby had been aborted twelve weeks prematurely. With little chance of survival, the baby was taken to a medical center. The little girl survived surgery and other efforts to save her. The baby was later adopted by Susan Morrison, one of the nurses who attended to her. The baby was named Christelle, and now she and her mother talk to thousands of people about abortion and the pro-life movement. There are 1,600,000 other abortion stories every year in the United States.
“Abortion is the termination of pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by death of the embryo or fetus. Because life begins at conception, abortion is more than terminating a pregnancy, it is taking a life. The development of a baby can be medically documented. At 18 to 25 days, the baby’s heart starts to beat. At 40 to 42 days, the brain waves can be detected and at 8 weeks, the baby can grasp its own hands. It can also swim with a natural swimmer’s stroke and will already have its own set of fingertips. It is usually around this time that 50% of abortions are done. Approximately 27% of all abortions are done at 10 weeks into the pregnancy. At this stage, a baby can feel and respond to pain. Yet 772,800 abortions are done yearly after this point in pregnancy. Also, at 10 weeks, 95% of the baby’s organs, features, and muscles are formed and working. 14% of abortions occur when the baby is 11 to 12 weeks old and 5% occur at 13 to 15 weeks. There are five main methods of performing an abortion. One method is dilation and curettage. This procedure starts with paralyzing the cervix muscle ring and stretching it open. Then a curette is inserted into the opening and used to cut the placenta and baby into pieces. The remains are scraped into a bin and discarded. This procedure usually causes profuse bleeding. A second form of abortion is known as the suction method. A hollow plastic tube is inserted and attached to a strong vacuum. The baby and placenta are torn into pieces as it is sucked into a bottle. Many times women will need blood transfusions due to hemorrhaging after this method of abortion. The third procedure is called a hysterectomy abortion. The abdomen is cut open and the baby is removed and discarded. The fourth method is called saline abortions. A needle is out into the mother’s stomach and it reaches into the baby’s bag of water. A concentrated salt solution is injected into the fluid which poisons the baby. This causes the baby to convulse and die. A day later, the mother will go into labor and deliver a dead baby. Partial abortions are the fifth method. In this procedure the doctor grabs the baby’s legs and pulls them out into the birth canal. The baby’s whole body is delivered except for the head. The doctor then pokes scissors into the baby’s skull and opens the scissors to increase the size of the hole. A suction tube is inserted into the hole and the baby’s brain is sucked out. The skull collapses and the dead child is removed and discarded. There are many reasons why abortions are done. About 1% is because of rape, incest, or fetal
Show More

Related Documents: Abortion: Roe V. Wade and Abortion Law Essay

Roe Vs Wade Research Paper

Since its landmark decision in 1973, Roe v. Wade has been at the center of one of the most contentious debates in American society. The ruling, which legalized abortion nationwide, has continually faced challenges from various political, religious, and social factions. Roe v. Wade originated from a Texas law that criminalized most abortions unless performed to save the mother's life. The case reached the United States Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of Norman Dorsen, asserting that a woman's…

Words 990 - Pages 4

Roe V. Wade Pros And Cons

Aiden Lopez Dr. Bruce Farcau U.S. Government, POS 2041 April 3, 2024 Title: The Overturning of Roe v. Wade: A Comprehensive Analysis of Pros and Cons and the Implications of Legislation Introduction: The landmark Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade in 1973 legalized abortion nationwide, establishing a woman's constitutional right to terminate her pregnancy. However, since its inception, Roe v. Wade has remained one of the most contentious and polarizing issues in American society and politics…

Words 2282 - Pages 10

Pro Choice Movement Research Paper

right to an abortion, to prescription contraceptives, and generally to make choices with their doctors about their reproductive health. The Pro-Choice movement used their influence in government to make new laws and wide-spread protest in order to petition the government in order to educate the youth and sexual reproduction. The Pro-Choice movement frequently uses their influence in important parts of society and their widespread protest to lobby the government into passing new laws. One huge strategy…

Words 434 - Pages 2

Supreme Court of the United States and Iit Chicago-kent College Essay

word count: Midterm Roe vs. Wade an enduring controversy Roe v. Wade (1973) is considered one of the most controversial Supreme Court decisions in American judicial history. Abortion is still a hot political issue to this day. Various states legislatures have passes stringent laws which are making it nearly impossible for women to even seek an abortion. This paper will prove that many states have refused to enforce Roe v. Wade and in doing so state legislatures have passed laws which make it harder…

Words 2309 - Pages 10

Planned Parenthood V. Wade Summary

Constitution in Roe v. Wade? How is the right to an abortion derived from the Constitution in Roe v. Wade? Is this derivation sufficient for the legitimate use of judicial review? What limits, if any, are there to such a right according to Roe v. Wade? In Planned Parenthood v. Casey what is Justice O’Conner’s reasoning for upholding Roe v. Wade? What part of the Constitution does she argue protects the right to abortion? What part of the Constitution does she argue protects the right to abortion? Consider…

Words 1007 - Pages 5

Roe V. Wade Case Study

In an attempt for agreement to legalize abortion in the state of Texas, Norma McCorvey, better known as, “Jane Roe,” fought Henry Wade in the court case known as, Roe v. Wade. Roe v. Wad was decided by the United States Supreme Court in agreement to the legality of woman’s rights to have an abortion under the Fourteenth amendment. The Fourteenth amendment guarantees American citizens the privileges and immunities of citizenship, due process and equal protection. This case was ruled upon in front…

Words 1276 - Pages 6

Roe Vs Wade Research Paper

Since its landmark decision in 1973, Roe v. Wade has been at the center of one of the most contentious debates in American society. The ruling, which legalized abortion nationwide, has continually faced challenges from various political, religious, and social factions. Roe v. Wade originated from a Texas law that criminalized most abortions unless performed to save the mother's life. The case reached the United States Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of Norman Dorsen, asserting that a woman's…

Words 990 - Pages 4

Roe V. Wade Pros And Cons

22, 1973, the United States Supreme Court legalized abortion in the historic court case of Roe v. Wade. Since then, abortion has been a hot topic in our nation. The Supreme Court justices in 1973 made the wrong decision in the Roe v. Wade case. When it comes to abortion, humans are destroying lives and trying to play God. However, there is no problem with altering the course of life for the good as long as it does not end another’s life. Abortion violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States…

Words 1049 - Pages 5

Roe V. Wade Summary

The lawsuit that created the current abortion laws and first recognized abortion as a constitutional right is under Roe v. Wade. The case began on March of 1970 in Texas when Jane Roe an unmarried pregnant woman challenged the state of Texas’s anti-abortion law, by stating that the laws are vague and did not follow the ninth and fourteenth amendments of the Constitution. At the time of her case she was pregnant and the final decision from the case was not made until after her baby was born and adopted…

Words 834 - Pages 4

Essay on Roe V. Wade

Roe v. Wade (1973) Parties involved in the suit Parties involved in the suit Roe, Dr. Hallaford, a married couple with no children. Roe and plaintiffs felt at the time that their constitutional rights were being infringed on limiting their rights to carry out the procedure of an abortion and privacy violations. Texas laws state that it was unlawful to have an abortion only with exception if a mother life was in jeopardy. So Roe along with others filed a class action lawsuit against Wade the…

Words 914 - Pages 4