Bryant , Mead1

Rebecca Bryant

Addison Mead

Mr. Gross

English 12 B (3)

3 April 2020

Abortion Should Be Illegal

Abortion is an act of crime that has been committed for decades. Years after years

countless lives have been taken, innocent and unborn lives. Children that have not yet seen the

beauty of this earth were killed by their own parent due to unplanned pregnancies, fear of

parenthood, pregnancies as a result of rape, etc. Nevertheless, there are other alternatives to face

this reality. Having an abortion can possibly ruin the chance of having another child, though

some procedures doctors will destroy the uterine wall leaving the womb unable to carry any

potential children. If someone chooses to not have an abortion, they could easily put their child

up for adoption which could result in the child growing up in a more stable household. After

someone goes through with an abortion, the thought still haunts them. Some have experienced a

great amount of depression after their procedure claiming they felt guilty, as though they were

murderers which they were. They had taken life away from an expected soul. Abortion should be

illegal, there is no logical reason to blatantly murder an incipient.

As people in the situations of unplanned pregnancies scramble to find solutions, some

eventually resort to abortion. Alternatives such as adoption are overlooked often but should be

exercised more as a lot of people struggle with infertility and also not be able to conceive

children. A recent interview with Lori Tuma on her experience of having an abortion. “...a few

weeks later I found out I was pregnant and I didn't know what to do I was only 22 years old and
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single. I panicked. My job as a flight attendant would make it hard for the baby and adoption

didn't even cross my mind. I made an appointment at Planned Parenthood and they didn't even

tell me I had the option to give my unborn child up for adoption.” (Tuma). Sadly, because the

mother was dreading to find a quick solution, she did not take time to consider all of her options.

Options like adoption that could be a very helpful solution by assisting many families who

struggle with bearing children. Later in life, Mrs. Tuma was concerned about her fertility. She

scheduled an appointment with a doctor to find answers as to why she and her husband could not

have children. “The doctor came into the room and told me the abortion I had 7 years prior had

ruined my chances of having a child and he said adoption would be the best choice for us if we

wanted to have children in our lives” how ironic and heartbreaking it was that the option she

completely missed was now her only solution at a family with kids (Tuma). Unplanned

pregnancies are a terror to go through, probably the most terrifying situation possible. The

decision a person makes is theirs, but abortion should be illegal and not authorized as it is still

murdering an unborn child that could have a better and more stable life if adopted.

The mental state an abortion leaves on the biological mother has also been a concern.

Some who have undergone an abortion have expressed that they feel as though they are

murderers and fall into a depression. Inside the interview with Mrs. Tuma, she stated, “All I

could see was tiny baby body parts being sucked into a vacuum like bag. When he was done, I

felt so worthless and empty, but most importantly, I felt like a murderer” (Tuma). The dread

someone has to feel after destroying a life, especially a developing one, can consume someone

greatly and unfortunately Mrs. Tuma suffered from it. The thought of what could have been

drowning her with sorrow and regret. “ ...I just wanted the pain and guilt to go away and I am

currently still waiting for the pain and guilt to go away 25 years later” Mrs. Tuma’s pain never
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went away, she just had to live with it (Tuma). How could someone let go of that baggage

though? Murdering an unborn child should leave some emotional scars on a person, it is only

natural to feel that heartache. Recent psychology study shows, "Women with a history of

abortion have higher rates of anxiety, depression, alcohol use/misuse, marijuana use, and suicidal

behavior, compared to those who have not had an abortion" (Psychology Today). The extreme

effects of having an abortion is something people can not dismiss. No woman should have to go

through this pain. If abortion was illegal, there would be no opportunity for people to experience

that mental distraught.

The operation behind an abortion is horrifying, and extremely dangerous for women to

withstand. The potential health risks from having an abortion are shocking, some are even fatal

to experience. Some things women have reported symptoms such as heavy or persistent

bleeding, infection or sepsis, damage to the cervix, scarring to the uterine lining, perforation of

the uterus, damage to other organs, and even death (American Pregnancy Association). When

Mrs. Tuma was describing her experience throughout her procedure, she also mentioned how

morbid she found some of the tools used. Her description of her experience is as follows:

“I saw 8 tools on the table when I walked in and I didn't even want to ask what they were

using each one for. As it went on they told me what they were used for. Some were used for

ripping the fetus apart one was for breaking the limbs off the fetus. He would always go back to

the ripping tool, and the pain was excruciating. As he was doing the ripping and breaking, he

would scrape my uterine wall to erase all evidence of a fetus then the suction part started”

(Tuma).
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It was not unusual to feel pain throughout the operation, especially an extreme and unbearable

amount. Grievously, in Mrs. Tuma’s case, that pain meant she would no longer be able to carry

children again. Studies have shown:

“When the risks of increased pregnancy loss are projected on the population as a whole, it is

estimated that aborted women lose 100,000 “wanted” pregnancies each year because of latent

abortion morbidity. In addition, premature births, complications of labor, and abnormal

development of the placenta, all of which can result from latent abortion morbidity, are leading

causes of handicaps among newborns. Looking at premature deliveries alone, it is estimated that

latent abortion morbidity results in 3000 cases of acquired cerebral palsy among newborns each

year. Finally, since these pregnancy problems pose a threat to the health of the mothers too,

women who have had abortions face a 58 percent greater risk of dying during a later pregnancy”

(After Effects Abortion).

Abortion does not solve problems, it only broadens medical problems for the mother. Leaving

her womb unable to carry any more children, destroying her body.

If abortion were to become illegal, the government would have to work very hard to

enforce it. Many mothers would go to drastic measures in order to go through with abortions.

Therefore there should be harsher punishments on women who seek, or attempt to rid themselves

of their unborn children. Aborting the child they created is not taking responsibility for their

behavior. If someone is willing to have unprotected sexual intercourse then they are willing to

accept the consequences. “It sounds very easy; however, it sounds that they lack responsibility

for their behavior to me. Abortion means to kill a new life and to endanger a woman's body. It

seems that people who have an abortion easily think the fetus is just a ‘thing’” (Arizona State

University). As more people fail to recognize a embryo as a human being, the more abortion will
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be accepted and not seen as murder. Abortion is murder though, and it is far too often committed

without regard. Adoption should come before abortion. Adoption opens up pathways for many

children to experience life, abortion does not give them an option to even know what life is.

Abortion is an act of crime that has been committed for decades. Years after years

countless lives have been taken, innocent and unborn lives. Children that have not yet seen the

beauty of this earth were killed by their own parent due to unplanned pregnancies, fear of

parenthood, pregnancies as a result of rape, etc. Nevertheless there are other alternatives to face

this reality. Having an abortion can possibly ruin the chance of having another child, through

some procedures doctors will destroy the uterine wall leaving the womb unable to carry any

potential children. If someone chooses to not have an abortion, they could easily put their child

up for adoption which could result in the child growing up in a more stable household. After

someone goes through with an abortion, the thought still haunts them. Some have experienced a

great amount of depression after their procedure claiming they felt guilty, as though they were

murderers which they were. They had taken life away from an expected soul. Abortion should be

illegal, there is no logical reason to blatantly murder an incipient.

Works Cited

The 7 Characteristics of Life, spot.pcc.edu/map/abortion_essay.html.

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Arizona State University, www.public.asu.edu/~gjt3708/Miki.html.

“Abortion ProCon.org.” ProConorg Headlines, abortion.procon.org/.

“AbortionFacts.com.” The After Effects of Abortion – AbortionFacts.com,

www.abortionfacts.com/reardon/the-after-effects-of-abortion.

Interview with Lori Tuma, 16 December 2018

“Negative Mental Health Effects of Abortion.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers,

www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-skeptical-sleuth/201110/negative-mental-health-

effects-abortion.

“Possible Physical Side Effects After Abortion.” American Pregnancy Association, 3 Sept. 2016,

americanpregnancy.org/unplanned-pregnancy/abortion-side-effects/.