Abortion is a very big and controversial subject. Some say that abortion is good for victims of rape but others say that abortion is the same as the death penalty. I think it isn't a good thing but I don't think I could handle the thought of having a daughter who was raped and a child was conceived out of the rape. I'm not really pro-choice or pro-life, I think this is a really important issue that needs to be addressed.  

Some women need abortions because they have a complication. In some
cases it is necessary in order for them to save their lives, for 
example, a pregnancy where the fertilized egg is embedded in the 
fallopian tube - Letting this baby grow will result in both the death of the mother. Abortion needs to be safe and legal for situations like this, as well as cases of rape and incest.

This is a very personal thing, but I will write about it. Sometimes these measures are certainly necessary. My mother was pregnant with a baby girl, but she suffered from such huge complications, that it was obvious to the doctors that she would not be able to survive. So, my baby sister passed away before having a chance to develop further than what she already had. Not doing so would have had terrible consequences. Obviously this was a huge tragedy in my family and my parents were grieving for a long time, it was hard for all of us. If it was illegal, my mum may have had to go to a seedy doctor to have this procedure, and have to evade being found out. If there were laws in place which banned it, my mum could have been under investigation and possibly facing child abuse or negligence charges. That is the last thing a grieving family needs.

It's not exactly necessary, but then you gotta think about what the parents want. What if the parents don't want the child for a specific reason? I personally think the abortion law  shouldn't be enforced because then it forces the mother to suffer through pain and have a child she and her husband don't want.  My opinion might seem cruel but I just personally think that people shouldn't be forced to do anything. They should leave it as the parent's choice

I'm very pro-choice for reasons that I'd rather not go into detail about... but needless to say, abortion has been around as long as humans have been around, legalized or not. From a very practical standpoint, given the history, I think it should always be a legal option because if it isn't, it just means that more than likely the woman will seek illegal means or, goddess forbid, attempt to do it herself (i.e. the coat-hanger method) which is very risky and can cause infection and even death.

On the very cold-hearted logical side... the world is super-overpopulated as it is, so it isn't like the population is in jeopardy because a small percentage of the population chooses to terminate their pregnancies.

I would like to say one thing though, and this is something that really gets under my skin. With the Republican primaries going on, and people like Santorum running... I keep hearing about this issue all the time. All these guys running talking about it... well... they are males. So I just have to ask, what do they think gives them the idea that they have any right to say what a woman can do with her body? This isn't the Victorian age, men do not get to treat women like property anymore, nor do they own their children... but the rhetoric I hear coming from them is straight out of two centuries ago. It's offensive to me, highly offensive.

Elara : I...agree with everything you just posted 100%. 

Abortion is necessary when the mother is having complications during pregnancy or birth. If it can kill her, then I would say that it is necessary for the mother's survival.

Technically, the baby was never born so I wouldn't put abortion in the same category as the death penalty. Perhaps I'm a bit odd, but I believe that a fetus, zygote, or any of the early stages are alive but at the same time are closer to living things with emphasis on the things. 

In my opinion, abortion is a choice that should be avoided as much as possible. I am a guy, so I can't say I know this on the level that a woman does. On a personal level, I am not for abortion. However, I believe that women have the right to choose. In the situation of rape, many women have suffered severe psychological damage knowing a part of their rapist is growing inside of them. No woman should have to go through the damage of rape in the first place, but having to go through more is worse. What annoys me is when people mindlessly have sex just for the hell of it and get an abortion because they don't want to have a kid. They aren't careful and punish the baby. It is a complicated thing, and it is an issue that will never be universally agreed upon. Like I said, it should be avoided. But there are times when there is no shame in it and the woman should not be ridiculed or hated for it.

Naturally, I am against abortion. I believe that no one has the right to kill the baby in the womb before it is even born, seeing as it can't do anything about it. But there are some situations where I see it as necessary. For instance, if the pregnancy actually gives that certain woman a risk of dying. I believe the women has the right to have the abortion if it means saving her life. Other than that, I am anti-abortion.

Since I am not a female carrying a child, I do not know the answer, nor do I feel like I should judge whether it is "Necessary or Not" I feel like women should be able to decide what goes on with their body.

Well... I have sort of conflicted feelings on this topic, because on the one hand, I feel like nobody has the right to determine whether another human being will be allowed to even be born. I think every single person should be given the chance to make a life for themselves. However, I also understand that there are some cases where if an abortion is not performed, then both the mother and the child would probably die anyway. But do we know for certain that they would? How often do we hear about someone coming back from the brink of death.

So I just don't know. As a rule, I think it is absolutely wrong to say that you can not ever do a certain thing no matter what. Black and white laws like that are just wrong every time. But this isn't simply about whether or not it should be legal. It is about should people make the choice...


Well, that is a question that simply can not be answered. One can not generalize like that for the entire human race. How many dead women would still be alive today if they had just aborted earlier in the pregnancy?

abortion, like so many other things, should be legal. Obviously there should be limits placed on when you can have an abortion but I see only bad things resulting from making abortions illegal.

Some people will find a way to have an abortion with or without a doctor. The problem with doing it outside of a medical facility is that you're more likely to kill yourself in the process of trying to get rid of the baby or make yourself sterile.

I disagree with abortions. I think it is, in many cases, the unnecessary killing of a human. However, with so many other things in this world I prefer allowing people to choose for themselves rather than forcing or restricting their choices.

I'm all for abortion, in obvious circumstances. Saying no one can have an abortion ever is ridiculous. Like everyone has stated, there are times when the mother is in danger. Also, rape victims, especially incest-rape victims, should not be forced to go through with a pregnancy and having a child that was forced upon them. That's inhumane and cruel. This isn't some ratty third world country. If we can use medicine to improve lives, I think we should. It's depressing, because like Lazlo, I think it's a terrible shame that a potential baby has to suffer for others' mistakes, and everyone deserves a chance. However, I also believe that during the period when abortion is an option, they aren't developed enough to qualify as an actual 'baby'. It's still sad for it to be terminated, because it's growing and becoming a person, but... There are many, many stages of pregnancy, and it takes several months for the baby to actually form.

Another important thing: I don't think abortion should ever, EVER replace adoption. I feel as though a lot of women nowadays, especially young women, it's either they have a baby and are bogged down with a commitment they don't want, or they kill their unborn child. That is simply disgusting, and ridiculous. Sure it sucks being pregnant with a kid you don't intend to keep, but that's just a small way to take responsibility for your actions. It takes two to get pregnant. If you feel that not being raising your child is the right thing for you, then give someone else a chance. There are so many deserving, wonderful couples who try for years to get pregnant but can't. It's just a shame.

And one other thing that not enough people think about when deciding where they stand on abortion: Not enough people consider the sort of people that get abortions. They are the people who if they were forced to have their baby, would beat them, starve them, emotionally and physically neglect them. Of course this isn't always the case, and I know that, but there are a lot of people who get pregnant and aren't thrilled about it, and the child suffers for it. There is a reason they want an abortion. Because they aren't mature/financially stable enough for a baby. The people who don't get abortions but want to, are the kinds that are uncomfortable with it because it's taboo, or don't have insurance/money to pay for it. Again, I'm saying this broadly and understand that there are exceptions. But that's how I see it. I feel adoption should always be the option in these situations, but if that's not happening, I would much rather they just had an abortion than hear about a little kid who was found rummaging through dumpsters for food because their mom is out doing drugs and hasn't feed them, or a child brought to the hospital after being beaten. I heard a few years ago of a little boy who was brought in with lacerated organs and internal bleeding, because his 18 year old mother tied him upside down in a closet and let her boyfriends beat him. I'd much rather she'd just aborted him, than to have her torture her own son. Lesser of two evils.

I have a daughter. I know how precious a baby is, in every state of their growth. How great it is to be pregnant and to take care of a baby, both before and after their born. How worthy of being born and having a life, and how worthy babies are of being loved. But, I still think there are reasons for abortion. I hope in time more people will take adoption seriously. For heaven's sake, there's a law in America where you can leave a baby at a hospital or fire department and with no questions, information, money, ANYTHING asked of the mother - they will take the baby, give it care, and take it to a foster family. There's really no reason to abort a baby for reasons besides what I stated in the first part of this post. But to abolish it completely... it's not a good idea.

Abortion should be legal under the following guidelines:

- You can never have a baby ever again, if you do you will get electric chair
- You can never get married to someone else ever again, even if its another woman
- You can never adopt a child or get involved with someone who has a child
- You can never work at daycares and cannot get involved with any job involving children
- You must pay yearly taxes to support adoption agencies
- You must be listed as an abortion offender

Now if you get raped, I suppose you get off free and we neuter the offender, lock him up in slammer and have him pay for the abortion.

JigSaw : you really seem utterly random, like the joker style random. so random that there can be no antiscipating what will be said next =/

My response here is fairly simple, and may be seen as cold or overly simplistic to many of you. 
We should not allow Religion or personal thoughts to cloud this issue, the fact of the matter is that it should always remain legal as it is a Safe procedure that can be made at choice or by will of the Mother.   There are many different reasons why such an operation is needed, these including health, monetary, Mental health/well being, Rape, accidental (condoms and such CAN fail), and many other random excuses a woman may  or may not have.   IF you must have a good reason to leave abortion legal look at the alternative.   I would rather Abortion was Legal than see women 'fall' down a flight of steps, or have some other possibly deadly injury inflicted upon her person.   The fact is, most woman who end up seeking an abortion have probably already thought of all of the problems.  Some may not have, but do you really think any being who can just mindlessly cancel out a possible form of life should have a child anyway?  

Besides, statistically, legalized and available abortion would have a positive effect on the economy.   From what I can tell, many divorces are caused by sudden pregnancy and panicking parents.   The option would also cut down on the number of abandoned children.  By making this safe procedure more available you would cut down on many problems that plague our world today. Couples will have children when they are ready, and if they cannot have children (be they unable or Same sex) they can always adopt.

I am very much opposed to abortion except in cases of rape or the mothers life in danger. I think when you look at something like teen pregnancy, which is probably has the most number of cases who would want one, it just makes it more despicable. I don't believe that it is necessary for life to end just because kids were acting "silly". Like I said, in cases of rape or the mothers life in danger it is a little different. In cases that are voluntary aren't. I think the ultimate form of birth control is not having sex unless you are prepared for what may come. I think abortion overall is just a very sad way of copping out of the "problem".

There are a few more things I've thought of that id like to point out real quickly.
The first is that Honestly n the united states there is no LEGAL argument against abortion at all.  All of the arguments for it that are seen or tha tI have seen are not based on Scientific fact or mathematics, but on emotion and Faith.  Arguments of emotion are nullified by the fact they are technically just opinion and no law can be made to suit one persons opinion over any one elses.  Faith arguments are nullified due to being religious, and there for blocked by the Separation of Church and state.

Also before someone else tries to argue it, accidental pregnancy is possible, and not just due to neglect.   I myself am a product of accidental pregnacy.  My mother was told by a Doctor flat out that it was IMPOSSIBLE for her to EVER have children due to her many surgeries and extensive X ray exposure.  Yet, here I am, and years later, here is my little sister who is now 8 years old.  You cannot fault a person who has been told by an EXPERIENCE PROFESSIONAL OF THEIR FIELD for such an event.   While my mom decided to keep and raise me [obviously] many other women would probably be scared to death.
"No! I was told this was impossible! So why is it happening!"
Also in case I didn't say this before, Condoms and birth control can also fail, sometimes it can fail epicly.  Mom reminded me of her old pal who only got pregnant when taking the pill. 

The funny part of the above is that if I remember right, the friend in question had been TRYING to get pregnant and only took the pill as part of a requirement for something.

But in all real seriousness... its not our place to decide what is right for any other being, everyone has the right to make that choice, when it is that time.  We as human beings, do not ever have the right to take away Choice and free will from any fellow human.

Many of these replies are very good and I agree with most of these views.

lol @ jigsaws response.... what a joke of a human

If we made everything legal, crime would disappear.
But abortion is the right of a woman and once those rights are impinged upon. all rights come under fire. Want to own a gun? Can't because abortions are illegal.
Abortion should never be used as birth control though...