Federal Abortion in the United States

Over the course of time abortion policies have been added, removed, and amended. Because every state in the United States is its own entity, each state has the right to create their own laws or policies and enforce them as needed. Abortions are legal in the United States; however, the states can individually set restrictions of their own to limit when and how abortions can be performed. Texas is pro-choice; therefore, abortion is legal. However, there are restrictions on the abortion policies set by the state of Texas just as every other state. State policies here in Texas allow a woman to have an abortion procedure performed up to their twentieth week of pregnancy (Five months), unless the woman’s life is at risk or if there are any fetal aberrations.

Primarily, abortion policies set by the United States supreme court case Roe v. Wade (1973) decided that states prohibiting an abortion after the third trimester in a pregnancy, unless the mother’s life was at risk, was unconstitutional. In 1989, the supreme court case Webster v. Reproductive Health Services imposed on the use of state funds, facilities, and employees in performing and assisting with the counselling on abortions. Then later, in 1992, the supreme court case of Planned Parenthood v. Casey ruled the loosening of standards for restrictions on abortion. Women were given more choice and freedom over whether or not they wanted to terminate their pregnancy.

Abortion policies set by the state of Texas state that a woman is allowed to have an abortion as long as the fetus cannot survive outside the uterus; as long as it is before viability. Once the fetus is able to survive outside the womb then having an abortion becomes illegal. It is illegal because there have been issues concerning when a fetus is considered a human. There are multiple perspectives that help define when a fetus is considered human, or when their life actually starts. Some individuals believe that a fetus is considered a human as soon as conception happens, while others believe that a fetus’s life does not start until the day of birth.

The issue concerning when a life actually starts has had an impact in the country because it allows women and other groups of people to come together to protest. How can they make an abortion illegal if the Supreme Court is not even aware of when a life actually starts?

Those arguing from the pro-life point of view wish to add laws and policies that forbid abortion. These people believe that a woman having an abortion should be illegal because, in their perspective, they are taking a life. Although, there are many different views from individuals that raise confusion over when a life actually starts. Who or what will determine when a life actually starts and why them?

On the contrary, those who protest for the pro-choice point of view argue that a woman should have the right to choose what they want to do with their body. These women are fighting for their right to choose what they want to do with their pregnancy. A woman should not be forced to follow through a pregnancy and raise a child if they do not wish to do so. If women were to completely be stripped of their right to terminate a pregnancy, then they would argue that their civil rights as a citizen and as a female are being violated.

Federal abortion laws do generally allow abortion procedures to take place, however there are certain requirements set up by each state. For instance, forty-two states in the United states do require a licensed physician to perform an abortion, while nineteen states require that an abortion be performed after an exact point in pregnancy in a hospital setting only. Policies like these are what start to set boundaries and limits to abortion.

Forty-three states in the United States do not allow abortion procedures to take place in general, unless a woman’s pregnancy was caused by rape or if the woman’s life or health is at risk. Other states like South Dakota for example, restrict their abortion policies to say that abortion procedures cannot be performed unless there is a case of life endangerment for the woman. These policies prove themselves to be unconstitutional because these rules and regulations make it nearly impossible to have an abortion. This is what Pro-life supporters are in favor of. They protest to try and get rid of the abortion laws completely which will leave women arguing about their rights as a female citizen being violated.

There have been cases where women commit suicide due to not being able to terminate a pregnancy that they do not wish to complete, causing the suicide rates and probabilities to increase. Women who follow through with pregnancies that they did not want are also more than likely to give their child up for adoption. Putting up these infants for adoption enhances the issue concerning foster care systems where many children are not fortunate enough to get adopted. Additionally, there are some individuals who are willing to abandon babies in random places such as trash cans or alleys, simply because they do not want the baby. Those who choose to keep the baby against their desire to raise it, have a high probability of maliciously raising the child. The child may grow to be physically and mentally abused. Instead of risking the life and health of a child , women should just be able to do what they planned initially without having to worry about the strict laws set up by the state they live in.

If for any reason the Supreme Court decides that abortions are completely illegal, then a lot of rioting would arise. People already protest and speak publicly about their rights and their beliefs over abortions. Individuals and other angry Americans would angrily come together to protest, and violence could possibly be an issue. What American females want is to feel free and just as equal as men, however policies involving abortion restrict them from feeling equivalent.

A great way to help determine the laws and policies regarding abortion should include letting the citizens of the United States vote as a country on whether or not they believe abortion should be an automatic human right. Just as they decide on a presidential election who they want as their president, citizens can also decide on abortion. Whatever decision may be made after that, if the situation were handled that way, would be fair since the people of our country were the ones who helped determine that decision.

Even if the decision on whether or not abortion should be generally legal and available for women was not something that women wanted, then groups to fight against this ruling would start to form. Individuals would come together, by the power of the first amendment which grants the ability to protest freely and peacefully, and keep fighting for what they believe in no matter what it takes to get their voice out. This proves that whether or not citizens get their way, there will always be that group of people trying to make a change.

As a woman, they should be granted the automatic right to choose what they want to do with their body, which includes being pregnant and raising a child. Some individuals do not wish to go through the damaging body changes a pregnancy can cause, while some may not even be ready to be a parent yet. Either way, whether or not individuals are in favor of abortions, the option should still be there.

Personally, the federal abortion laws set up by the government are unconstitutional and unfair. In a country where citizens can do almost anything freely but with restrictions, abortion should be the same. Abortion policies do have their restrictions however they do not all grant the same opportunities.

Yes, federal policies do allow for abortions to take place, but they set so many rules and regulations up so that women can struggle to have an abortion performed. Each state has at least one abortion clinic, however there are a limited amount of them. There is no guarantee that a woman is going to live close to an abortion clinic if they need to have a procedure done. Having a very limited amount of abortion clinics that actually perform the abortion procedures causes major issues. Some women do not have the ability of traveling such a far distance due to economic and financial stability. Also, not every state uses government funds to cover the costs that an abortion procedure takes.

For those states that do not use government funds to pay for abortion surgeries, require the women to pay out of their own pocket. Government assistance such as Medicaid or any other kind of health insurance do not cover the costs of an abortion. Surgeries alone cost a lot of money, so women will struggle to find a way to pay for such a procedure. Some women may even risk their entire life to have an abortion procedure done unprofessionally. The extremities that some women are willing to take in order to avoid being a parent are quite irrational.

In order to be a more civilized and peaceful Union in terms of the abortion topic, the courts should take every reason into consideration, from the rights of a woman to the rights of a fetus. There will always be a problem with federal policies involving abortion because it is impossible to satisfy everybody’s beliefs. However, it is possible to create policies that can ease the tension and eliminate some issues that exist around this subject. It should not be so difficult for a woman to have an abortion that it is nearly impossible. The rights of a woman are what matter and should be protected at all costs.

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