Why is Abortion an Ethical Issue

Why is abortion an ethical issue is a question asked by who are unable to read the religious and societal implications of this act. Abortion is the act of removal of a fetus from the womb of a woman. It usually results in the death of the fetus. Abortion has become very common in most countries around the world with laws having been passed to make it legal. Abortion is resorted to in many situations when the child becomes unwanted. With the passage of time, there has been a cultural shift in the attitude of the people towards abortion. People and governments have become more liberal today and treat the issue as a personal one. However, there are still many people who consider abortion as morally and ethically wrong because it involves killing of a human fetus. is a question asked by who are unable to read the religious and societal implications of this act. This article attempts to explore these ethical issues.

Many religions consider abortion as immoral

There are many cultures and religions that consider abortion as immoral and unethical. These religions believe that terminating pregnancy kills a human being, even if in the form of a fetus. Arguments presented in support of ethics say that one does not have the right to kill a human being. Supporters say that life is a precious gift of god and one is demeaning life when he or she decides to abort. However, there are circumstances where abortion becomes necessary as when a woman has serious health problems and pregnancy could endanger her life. If giving birth to a child can cause severe health problems or inconvenience to a woman, should she not have the right to terminate her pregnancy? This is a scenario where even the most vocal and vociferous supporters of ethics in abortion become silent. It means that there can be no clear answers to questions of morality and ethics involved with abortion.

Religions consider abortion as killing of a human being

In all religions of the world, killing innocent human beings is considered wrong and also illegal. As fetuses are innocent life forms having the potential to develop into human beings, killing them through abortion is considered immoral by most religions even though abortion has been legalized in most countries of the world. Abortion remains a legal option for women who want to terminate their pregnancies. However, the fundamental ethical question remains attached with abortion even in these countries.

Why is Abortion an Ethical Issue

Legal option dilutes morality involved in abortion

Legally speaking, a fetus is not a fully developed human being. As such, abortion cannot be treated as a murder. Even if a fetus were to be assumed as a human being , one cannot justify continuing with the pregnancy if it causes inconvenience to the woman or endangers her life. With abortion available as a legal option, it is not possible for law to force a woman to complete the term of her pregnancy and give birth to a child. At the most, argument can be presented in favor of completing the pregnancy by saying that it is an ethical and moral choice.

Ethics of sex need to be answered beforehand

If a woman becomes pregnant if she did not consume pills or because her partner did not make use of a contraceptive, it is too much to ask her to complete her pregnancy and give birth to a child. After all, it is her body and she has the right to do with her body what she deems best. In fact, supporters of abortion say that it is unethical to force a woman to go on to give birth to a child whenever she becomes pregnant.

Pregnancy is a result of sexual activity and if ethics was to be applied to abortion, then surely sexual ethics comes into play when speaking in favor or against abortion. When there is so much of freedom given to men and women in enjoying their sex lives, it is, in fact, unethical to try to prevent abortion as it is a consequence of sexual activity.

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