Let Conscience and though direct the abortion debate

The debate on abortion is one that seems to divide people based on values expressed as rights. Some people cling on rights of the person aborting (prochoice) while others think of the rights of the unborn child (prolife). The prochoice and the prolife go at each other on an issue that to me is a moral issue. Some moral issues although universal, need to have meaning for the individual to be of any effect.


According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008, abortion is the “expulsion of the products of conception before the embryo or fetus is viable. Any interruption of human pregnancy prior to the 28th week is known as abortion. The term spontaneous abortion, or miscarriage, is used to signify delivery of a nonviable embryo or fetus due to fetal or maternal factors, as opposed to purposely induced abortion. Therapeutic abortion is an induced abortion performed to preserve the health or life of the mother.”


If this definition is to be accepted, then it seems there are two types of abortion. One done purposely because the mother wants to regardless of the reason and the other one is done on the recommendation of a doctor with the aim of preserving the health or life of the mother. The word “viable” in this case connotes “capable of living outside the uterus”. We all know that it takes 9 months of pregnancy for a child to be fully matured for birth. Note I use the word child because as far as I am concerned once conception takes place then the child starts developing until he/she is ready to be born.

To justify abortion many try to deny the fact that the foetus is human and therefore deserving protection. Abortion is therefore seen as an easy way out for a woman who is faced with a dilemma of being pregnant but not wanting to carry the child to term. Many times I have heard people say it is just a mass of blood and so it is okay. This is the greatest deception that people have fallen into. I went for a scan when I was 10 weeks pregnant with my son and I was shocked to see all his features developed and him very active in my womb. Yet I was told he was only the size of a pea.


Read more: http://socyberty.com/issues/let-conscience-and-thought-direct-the-abortion-debate/