Main arguments for and against abortion
Pro-Choice
- A woman should have control over her own body and life.
- A woman cannot be equal to a man if she cannot control her body and fertility.
- Fertilisation does not mean that the foetus is a person yet. There is debate over when life begins.
- Abortion is legal under current laws. It is not murder.
- Religious arguments cannot be used as the basis for a law. For example, religion-based definitions of a ‘person’ and a ‘soul’ shouldn’t govern laws about abortion.
- There is no conclusive evidence to show that abortions have a negative effect on women’s psychological well-being.
- There is no conclusive evidence to show that abortions are medically unsafe. Statistically, having an early abortion has a much lower mortality rate than carrying a pregnancy to term and therefore abortion can be considered safer than going through with a pregnancy.
Pro-Life
- Respect for human life from conception to natural death
- Abortion is not ethical.
- Abortion negatively affects a woman’s psychological health.
- Abortion has negative health effects for women.
- In cases of disability – disabled children deserve to live. Their lives are as precious as the lives of the non-disabled.
- In cases of rape – the child is innocent. It can be given up for adoption if the mother cannot care for it. Abortion does not resolve the issues caused by rape. Rape is also not one of the main reasons for abortion.
- In cases where the mother’s life is endangered – the baby can be delivered surgically and treated separately.