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Oscar Santiago

Professor Perkins

Composition-2

11 October 2021

Works Cited

Barilan, Y. M., and M. Brusa. “Human Rights and Bioethics.” Journal of Medical Ethics, vol. 34,

no. 5, BMJ, 2008, pp. 379–83, http://www.jstor.org/stable/27720089.

Bioethics is the ethics of biology and medicine. Throughout history there has been a

concern for the biological factors of people, animals, and the environment. What needs to be

protected? What needs to be preserved? Abortion and assisted death are contimplated. How can

one be ethical and the other not because it deals with the quality of a human’s life. In a

pregnancy situation, the fetus that has the development of a brain, heart, body, limbs, is no

different from the deterioration of a body that is deteriorating in brain, heart or body.

Additionally, we take care of those in society that are not mentally capable of determining things

for themselves. We protect their rights. The point is made that a fetus is no different because we

have to protect their right to life just as we protect those who can’t protect themselves. This

becomes a political issue for dignity, mental care, and health care. The rights of the mother for

human rights are important, yet she can speak for herself. Her unborn child cannot speak for

itself, yet it has viable organs that can sustain life. Those human rights need to be protected as

well.

Bioethics looks at the legal ethics and medical standpoint of abortion. It takes into

consideration the organ development and sustainability of a fetus. These rights need to be

protected because they have the right to life. They should be afforded the same liberties that we
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all have and the opportunity to obtain them. There are children born who weigh 1.5 lbs. While

they must have additional care to start their life, they are alive. They have brain activity, feelings,

organ functions, breathing, and a heartbeat. There are children who are born at such early stages

and with the right care, can live a normal and healthy life without any complications or concerns.

This is a baby that is born approximately at week 22. Abortions that happen at week 15, 16, 20,

or even third trimester is terminating a being that is capable of living and sustaining a long life.

Therefore, their life should be accounted for by someone other than just an individualistic

centered mother.

Henderson, Janice Lynn. “High-Risk Pregnancy: What You Need to Know.” Johns Hopkins

Medicine,

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/staying-healthy-during-

pregnancy/high-risk-pregnancy-what-you-need-to-know

This website provides information upon high risk pregnancies and the doctors who are

responsible for taking care of a mother and fetus. It provides information on the opportunities of

the mother having a viable fetus and delivery, yet there are instances that cause the fetus to not

be able to endure the pregnancy. Doctors who address perinatology, treat the mother and the

infant, but they focus more intently on the developmental challenges of the pregnancy for the

mother and the fetus.

This information will help show that abortion is not always the only option for a fetus if

there appears to be challenges with the pregnancy. Mothers have choices they can make and

these doctors are able to help them make informed decisions regarding themselves and their

future babies. Abortion does not always need to be the first consideration, even if the mother is
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not ready to take on the responsibility of parenting. These doctors can help guide a mother in

many of the options available to her.

Holland, J. H. (2016). Abolishing abortion: The history of the pro-life movement in America.

Abolishing Abortion: The History of the Pro-Life Movement in America | The American

Historian. Retrieved October 7, 2021, from

https://www.oah.org/tah/issues/2016/november/abolishing-abortion-the-history-of-the-pr

o-life-movement-in-america/

In this article, the historical information regarding a fetus is revealed from the 1800s to

the 1900s. The amount of abortions taken place was even compared to the Holocost and World

War ll because of the heightend abortion rate. A fetus was once determined by herbal physicians

and healers who said women were pregnant. This is now determined obviously when a woman

from four to six months can feel the baby kicking inside of her to confirm a pregnancy. When the

anti abortion community in the Unted States formed, there was a mass increase in assaults,

deaths, attempted murders, and abortion rates as people got frustrated when they spread their

message more across the world.

This relates to my topic abortion as this gives me feedback of the struggles and impact a

fetus had in the 1800s through the 2000s nation wide. As I researched more, the struggles that

this group endured became evident as they tried to expand their message. I found it incredibly

interesting that they compare the amount of abortions to the Holocost because the genocide that

occured was horrific. This article provided crucial feedback on the journey anti abortionists went

through as not everyone agreed in their beliefs. Feminism was a huge obstacle for the pro life

movement as they protested this idea as wrong and that women should make their own choices

with their body. This will help develop my paper because it points out that women in the nation
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are divided by choice or life. It all depends on what they believe. The nation is now split in half.

This was also very important as it gave me an insight of the girls view on abortion and how it

works with the fetus.

Is adoption hard? Adoption.org. (2018, March 14). Retrieved October 7, 2021,

https://adoption.org/is-adoption-hard

There has been a major misconception about adoption in recent times. It has been

accepted by general society that the idea of adoption is an easy process that most people

complete. There are many women who are infertil and therefore are unable to bear children, so

for many of these women who want to start a family; adoption is the answer. Sadly, the reality is

that there is only a 10% chance they will receive the baby. This is likely due to more women

choosing to abort their baby instead of putting them up for adoption. This leaves many infertile

women tragically unable to start a family.

This is relevant to my paper because it examines how abortion directly affects the life not just

of the woman bearing the child, but other women unable to have them. Many people believe that

women should be granted the option to an abortion because it only affects them and their life, but

very few people see or consider the countless women who wish to be mothers and start a family.

This article will help validate the “fact” that abortion has not only affected the pregnant woman,

but others who long to be mothers. While some believe it should only be their choice to keep a

fetus, what about the life that was created? As one can see from the article, many women

choosing to abort instead of placing an infant up for adoption leaves the infertile women unable

to find a baby to adopt.

Risks about abortion: Foundations of Life Pregnancy Center & Adoption Services. Foundations
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of Life Pregnancy Center & Adoption Services |. (2016, August 31). Retrieved October 7,

2021, from https://foundationsoflife.org/facts-about-abortion/risks-about-abortion.

Abortions are not risk free like many believe. Even with professional procedures

performed by doctors, there are many physical and internal complications that can occur

including future pregnancy issues. There are also a considerable amount of psychological

problems that could even affect you years after the abortion has taken place.

This can help my article by showing the dangers of abortion. Many believe that abortion

is completly safe, and this article shows otherwise. It also points out the mental problems that

comes with an abortion. These mental problems are almost never discussed, and many people

seem to be unaware of this issue.

Aderholt, Robert (R.-A. L. (2017, January 27). Why I'm pro-life. gop.gov. Retrieved October 7,

2021, from https://www.gop.gov/im-pro-life/.

Abortion is an implied immoral action. Many people are taught growing up that only God

has the rightful power to choose who lives and dies. With religious belief aside, it is assumed that

everyone cherishes life and freedom and regardless. With “approximately 55 million babies have

been aborted in the United States”, one would think that this number would be more openly

debated and portrayed. There are many foundations in each state that are willing and eager to

help mothers decide to allow their fetus to survive, and give the gift of life to a developing child.

In my paper this article will assist me in providing statistics and strong options for the

pro-life stance. Saying something is immoral is not strong enough, but saying that there are

options is crucial. With the technological advances and strides moved toward humanity, why is it

that as a nation we cannot move toward saving an innocent life?

Spitzer, Alyssa, and Nora Ellman. “State Abortion Legislation in 2021.” Center for American

Progress, 21 September 2021,

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/reports/2021/09/21/503999/state-aborti

on-legislation-2021/. Accessed 6 October 2021.

The debate between pro life and pro choice is a current topic being addressed now that

the Supreme Court is predominantly conservative. This change has encouraged twenty states to

enact laws that support pro life, and become more restrictive than the current law of Roe v. Wade

legally allows. Twenty states supporting pro life have placed regulations on the time when

abortions can be preformed, what facility can perform the abortion, there are regulations placed

upon medical professionals and their licensure, method bans, increased parental involvement for

minors, the twenty-four hour wait time period, and several other bans. While in contrast, only six

states have enacted legislation that will protect or enhance a woman’s right to choose. Texas and

Mississippi are two of the states with the most strict laws enacted recently and supported by the

Supreme Court. This article also mentions the unequal representation to minorities, low

socioeconomic women and young people by limiting or eliminating their healthcare treatment

related to abortions.

While this article provides many oppositional points to prolife, it shows what states are

doing to ensure the rights of an unborn child. These laws and restrictions are set forth to protect

the innocence of a child who cannot speak for themselves. By having almost half of the nation

supporting the right to life, we need to have a change in philosophy from approximately half a

century ago. New developments in medicine and new developmental and physiological progress

of a fetus have changed the mindset of those who believed in a woman’s right to choose. This
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mindset and protective stance needs to be explored and adopted for the benefit of life. The

specific bans allow for further explanation on how the life of a fetus is protected.

Tamney, Joseph B., et al. “The Abortion Controversy: Conflicting Beliefs and Values in

American Society.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, vol. 31, no. 1, [Society

for the Scientific Study of Religion, Wiley], 1992, pp. 32–46,

https://doi.org/10.2307/1386830.

Pro-life and pro-choice are more than heated debate, it is a controversy between beliefs,

values, and liberal vs. conservative. Additionally this article looks at the feminst and religious

views of people and their stand on abortion. For the religion standpoint, they examine

Judeo-Christian, Catholicism, and Puritanism. The key concepts are individualism versus the

thought that God rules one’s body. Within the Christian beliefs, the unborn child should be

protected, yet the libertarian/feminst view concludes that a woman’s body is to be protected by

her and it is her right. The point is made that the government should not be allowed to mandate

what a woman does with her body. Conversely, others who are conservative believe that all

human life should be preserved and that life begins at conception. Interestingly, the topic of

abortion did not fall within a certain political party. In the study of people surveyed, a pro-life

deomocrat or repulican was as likely to choose a candidate that fit their point of view as a

pro-choice democrat or republican. Thus the religious views of people in the study had a more

significant play in politics along with traditionalism than did the pro-choice people in the study.

One cannot deny that traditions, values, and religious beliefs play a part in the debate of

pro-life or pro-choice. This article has a crucial study that looks into the views of people and

their cultural and religious beliefs. I plan on using this data to support my view validating why

more people in America tend to believe in the right to life more than the right to choice. Another
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point that can be considered is that this is not a political stand as far as republican or democratic,

but a conservatie/traditional view versus a feminist/individualism view. In determining a counter

point of view, this article explains what each side believes.

Thorp, John M., et al. “Integrity, Abortion, and the Pro-Life Perinatologist.” The Hastings Center

Report, vol. 25, no. 1, [Hastings Center, Wiley], 1995, pp. 27–28,

https://doi.org/10.2307/3562487.http://library.collin.edu/login?url=https://www.jstor.org/s

table/3562487

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine website, a perinatologist “specializes in receiving

a traditional obstetrics and gynecology education but with an additional three years of training to

learn how to treat medical complications that are related to pregnancy” (Henderson). The

importance of this article is that there are both pro-life and pro-choice perinatologist and there is

a fine line in their ethical treatment of their patients and their personal values. It is up to the

doctor to provide honest information to their patient so they can make informed decisions. It is

not up to the doctor to try and force their beliefs upon their patient. As abnormalities are

discovered, it has become more of the norm to choose an abortion. It is the responsibility of these

doctors to put aside their beliefs and provide viable options for the fetus and mother. In ectopic

pregnancy conditions, the pro-life doctor will have to inform the mother of the situation and offer

the abortion to save the mother. In contrast, the pro-choice doctor may realize the implications of

the fetus to be born with significant defects which will adversely affect the live and life span of a

child, they must put aside their view if the mother decides to go forward with the pregnancy.

This is a crucial article because it addresses the medical issue that often affects the treatment

needed for a high risk pregnancy.

This article may prove helpful because it discusses the medical treatment for both the

mother and the fetus. It explains how pro-life and conversely pro-choice can be influenced for

medical reasons and how doctors must remain unbiased in the treatment of the their patient. This

view has a two fold benefit, mother and child together as one, yet also as individuals.

Ugwu, Chinagozi, and Colleen, Nugent. “Products - Data Briefs - Number 315 - July 2018.”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

19 July 2018, www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db315.htm.

Statistics speak volumes, and this article is primarily statistics based. It provides data

based upon various age groups and ethnic backgrounds that are looking into adoption. Ironically,

there is a high percentage who would like to adopt compared to those who have actually adopted

a child. It also breaks down statistically women would like to adopt or are considering adoption

due to fertility disorders.

While this article does not contain much writing, it does statistically back up several

claims made by other articles and justifies my position on pro-life and how adoption is a viable

option that women should consider. Given the percentages available in this study, one could

make the conclusion that by having a child that is not wanted it would be granting a tremendous

gift to a woman who would otherwise not be able to have a family. When taking a pro-life

stance, one cannot deny that there is two lives at stake: the mother and the unborn child.