ABORTION

Abortion

The intentional termination of a pregnancy and the expulsion of a fetus from the uterus.

•40 Million abortions are performed worldwide every year1

•In 2004, 1.2 million of those were performed in the US2

•Of those, 17.4 % are performed on women under the age of 19, that’s 200,000 abortions3

•In Washington DC 37% of pregnancies end in abortion•In Utah only 6% of pregnancies end in abortion.7

•Wyoming has the fewest amount of abortions, and California has the highest.4

Roe vs Wade

Norma McCorvey is unmarried and pregnant in Texas

Texas law prohibited abortions unless medically necessary

McCorvey couldn’t afford to leave the state to get an abortion, so she was forced to have the child.

The child was put up for adoption McCorvey was part of a class action lawsuit

against the Dallas D.A The plaintiffs won,and Texas abortion law was

deemed void The results were appealed, but eventually

they were upheld in the supreme court4

First Trimester

Abortion is a private decision between a woman and her doctor5

Second Trimester

States may regulate abortion, but only for the purposes

of promoting the health of the pregnant woman 5

Third Trimester

States may prohibit an abortion to protect a viable fetus5

Webster v. Reproductive Health Services

Chief Justice William Rehnquist wrote the Webster decision which allows for doctors to test the viability of the fetus.

His decision overruled Roe v. Wade and allows for state regulation of viable fetus’ in the 2nd and 3rd trimester

Women can still legally abort a “nonviable” fetus 8

Planned Parenthood v Casey

1. A pregnant woman must wait 24 hours before an abortion to study informed consent. Informed consent means:

Informing the pregnant woman about the risks of the abortion, along with alternatives

The gestational age of the fetus The medical risks of carrying the fetus

to term6

Planned Parenthood v Casey

2. If a woman is a minor, she must have parental consent or a court order to have an abortion

3. With a few exceptions, a women must inform her spouse if she is planning to have an abortion

4. Health Providers must report all abortions to the health department. 6

Gonzales v. Carhart

In 2003 a law was enacted to prohibit “partial-birth abortions.”

“partial-birth abortions” are an incredibly inhumane method of aborting a fetus, in which the doctor punctures the living fetus’ skull and pulls its brains out until it dies.

Reasons for wanting abortions

AMERICANS

Postpone childbirth Can’t afford a child Relationship problems Age School or work No more kids Fetus’ health Mothers’ health Other reasons7

WORLD WIDE

Many reasons are the same, however gender selection plays a huge role in world wide abortions.

Chinese people greatly favor having male children. 7

Should the government pay for abortions?

If the government pays for abortions does that mean that they are condoning the morality of the issue?

Would it be cheaper to abort a child than to pay for a lifetime of welfare/medicaid benefits?

Should the government be involved in a private matter?

What are the parents rights if the child is a minor? There are different views on this:

•Parents have no rights•Parents have the right to be notified•Parents preferences need to be considered

•Parents have an equal voice•Parents should be the ultimate decision makers.

Should a woman be able to have multiple abortions?•In 2004, over 48,000 women had 3 or more abortions•And almost 70,000 women had 2 abortions

What are a fathers rights? These views are similar to a parents rights:•They have no rights•They have the right to be informed•They have an equal voice•The fathers should be able to veto/The parents should be able to make the decision

When is a Baby a Human?

Conception? When an egg is fertilized.

Implantation? When the egg attaches to the uterine wall

When the heart beats at 4 weeks? When the baby is viable enough to

live outside of the womb? When the baby is born?

•Conception? When an egg is fertilized.•Implantation? When the egg attaches to the uterine wall•When the heart beats at 4 weeks?•When the baby is viable enough to live outside of the womb?•When the baby is born?

When is a Fetus “Human”?