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Caught in the Middle

Understanding the Emotionally Charged Issues Surrounding Abortion

Rights of the unborn. Women’s reproductive rights. Religious beliefs. Morality. These and many other issues burn at the heart of the abortion debate. It all comes down to one question: Is abortion an acceptable alternative for an unplanned pregnancy? It’s up to you to answer.

Personhood
When does a cluster of cells growing in a woman’s uterus actually become a person with rights? The greatest thinkers of all time vary on their opinions. For centuries, courts used quickening, or the moment a woman can feel movement, as a means to define when abortion became taking a life. Some religions teach that life begins at conception; others believe that the soul enters the body several weeks into a pregnancy. Some people say that once an embryo has a heartbeat it is a separate person from its mother. Others say a fetus becomes a separate person only when it is viable, or can survive outside its mother’s body. The viability argument formed the basis of the 1973 Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade.

But for a woman thinking about abortion, the issues are painfully more personal. She is filled with turmoil before she can even think about the bigger picture. She has to consider where she is in her life, where she hopes to be, what kind of life she can lead with a baby, and the life she might lead without one. Unmarried women may feel ashamed that they got pregnant; some may not feel emotionally or financially ready for parenthood. Women with children already may feel they can’t adequately support another child. Teenagers just starting their lives worry that becoming a parent so soon will prevent them from accomplishing goals they hope to achieve someday. Those without support may feel alone and scared.

No one takes the decision lightly. You can be assured that you will make the right decision for your situation if you learn all you can about your choices.

Difficult Questions
This decision will determine your future, and you should answer some tough questions before you make any choice. As you try to decide what is best for you, ask yourself:

• When do you think an embryo or fetus becomes a person?
• Do you think abortion is murder or your right to control when you want to become a parent?
• What kind of life might your child have if you decide on adoption or parenthood?
• What kind of parent do you want your children to grow up with, and are you that person?
• Where do you want to be in one year? Five years? Does a child fit in to those pictures?
• Can you live with the idea of someone else raising your child?

An experienced counselor can help you understand your alternatives and priorities and help put you at ease with your decision. Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks you should do. You are the one who will experience the consequences and emotions. It’s your life and your future, so make sure you’re well informed. Once you’ve evaluated all the options, go with what you genuinely believe is the right choice.

“...even some of the greatest philosophers and scientists, [have] a different opinion on when your fetus actually becomes a person.”