QUESTION:

The topic of abortion is very controversial, but nothing has ever been learned by avoiding tough
subjects. What are your views on abortion? Under what circumstances, if any, would you
consider it? If you were a lawmaker, what would be your stand on this issue? (*In India, boys
are valued more than girls and amniocentesis has become widespread. In one province, only one
in thousands of abortions following: amniocentesis was that of a male fetus, the rest were
females. How do you feel about abortion as a tool for gender selection? Suppose that one of the
female fetuses in the previous example was also identified as having suffered severe mental and
physical damage to the point that, after birth, the resulting child would mentally and physically
be unable to care for itself. Would this information influence (change) your decision?)
ANSWER:
At 4 weeks past conception, the embryo is only about 1/8 inch (3 millimeters) long, but
already the head has taken shape. By 7 weeks, the organism is somewhat less than an inch (2
centimeters) long. Eyes, nose, the digestive system, and even the first stage of finger and toe
formation can be seen (Berger, 2014, p. 59). According to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation,
induced abortions can be performed as early as the first trimester (before the 12th week) (Sutter
Health, 2015). As stated in Invitation to the Lifespan, at this time the head of the baby has
already taken shape as well as the eyes, nose and the digestive system. I believe that abortion is
murder. Even though the baby is still in the mothers womb, the baby is an innocent human being
with a life to live.
Many times a woman considers abortion when she has been raped (Brown, 2013). I
believe that the baby, along with the woman, is an innocent factor in this instance and neither
should be punished for the fault of the father. I believe that if a woman gets pregnant, whether

from rape or from her own mistake of using precautions to avoid pregnancy, than adoption
should be considerednot abortion. I believe the baby deserves a chance at a life, and adoption
can provide a better life for the baby if the circumstances of the parents are not going to be able
to provide a safe and loving environment for the child.
Another circumstance that has led women to consider abortion is when there are health
risks to the pregnant woman or when there are health complications with the baby (Brown,
2013). I have a very dear friend who, when pregnant with her first son, learned that he would be
born with Down Syndrome. She was given the option to abort the baby or choose to keep him.
She made the decision to not abort her son. He is now a very happy 11 year old boy. Although he
is Down Syndrome, and it has not been easy on their family, my friend has expressed to me
many times that she would not trade him for anything. She is very grateful that she made the
choice not to abort him.
The only circumstance that I would consider abortion is if there are serious health
complications with the mother of the child during pregnancy, and even then it would depend on
if it was a life or death situation for the mother. At the same time, if I was a lawmaker discussing
this topic I would take the stand of making induced abortion illegal. I have a firm belief that the
baby deserves a chance to live, and that it is not part of women rights to be able to choose
whether to have a baby or not. Having a baby does not make a woman any less of a person.
Along with my belief that abortion should be illegal in all circumstances, I also believe
that using it as a tool for gender selection should be illegal as well. I believe it is not up to the
parents to decide what gender their baby should be. Our society is becoming one of no
consequences. There is sadly a belief that we should be able to get everything we want with no
consequences. I believe that induced abortion is a great example of this. There will always be

consequences, and abortion will not solve or erase those consequencesit will only provide
others that can be just as detrimental.
SOURCES:
Berger, K. S. (2014). Invitation to the life span (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.
Brown, K. B. (2013, Nov 11). 10 Reasons Not to Have an Abortion (Web.). Washington, DC:
LifeNews.com. Retrieved from http://www.lifenews.com/2013/11/11/10-reasons-not-tohave-an-abortion/
Sutter Health (2015). Abortion (Web.). Palo Alto, CA: Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Retrieved
from http://www.pamf.org/teen/sex/pregnancy/abortion.html