There are two major sides to every argument, and when we are talking about abortion debate facts, it is no different. Pro-Choice is a term used for those who are essentially pro-abortion. There are many levels of Pro-Choice activism, including those people who would not choose to have an abortion themselves, but do think that the expectant mother has a right to choose what happens to her own body. The major question that Pro-Choice advocates address is the question of women’s rights. They believe that a woman has the right to choose whether or not she gives birth. Pro-Choice advocates are in favor or abortion being available on demand, and usually, at any time during the pregnancy. This is especially true when it comes to therapeutic abortion, or abortion in cases of rape or incest.

Pro-Life is a term used to describe those people who are basically against abortion. When discussing abortion debate facts, it is important to remember that there are many levels to this side as well. Some people may consider themselves Pro-Life even if they are in favor of certain types of abortion: for example, therapeutic abortion or abortion in cases of rape or incest. These people do not believe that abortion should be available on demand, but would protect the mother’s physical and mental health. The major question Pro-Life advocates are concerned with is “what are the rights of the unborn child?” This leave a lot of room for interpretation, depending on when one believes that life begins. The majority of Pro-Lifers believe that life begins at conception and therefore no type of abortion should be allowed. Many Pro-Lifers believe that religion plays greatly into the realm of abortion debate facts. For example, Christians believe the Bible states that God know a person’s soul before they are born. They believe that if God knows a soul, that soul is a human being, and God dictates in the Bible that people should not kill each other; therefore, abortion is murder.

Aside from the question of rights, there are other abortion debate facts that should be discussed. For example, even when abortion was illegal in the United States – before the Supreme Court decision Roe vs. Wade which essentially made abortion legal – women still sought out abortions. Since the procedures were illegal, they were not regulated by the government or the medical community. This posed a great problem for the women seeking abortions. They had to look to what are commonly deemed as “back-alley abortionists”. This term refers to someone not medically licensed who practices abortion procedures in an unsafe environment. This is extremely dangerous, and many women died before abortion was regulated.

Some Abortion Debate Facts is a post from: Pregnancy and Childbirth Guide

When it comes to abortion facts, it is often very difficult to determine what information is true and what is false. Real abortion facts begin with the medical community. In medical terminology, abortion is serrated into different categories: Spontaneous Abortion and Induced Abortion. Spontaneous Abortion, or miscarriage, as it is commonly called, is the natural expulsion of the embryo or fetus from the uterus by the mother’s body. This can happen because of genetic or physical abnormalities. Induced abortion is further separated into the sub-categories Therapeutic Abortion and Elective Abortion. Therapeutic Abortion is exactly what it sounds like: the extraction of an embryo or fetus for medical reasons to prevent harm from coming to the mother, or in cases of diagnosed deformities or problems with the unborn child. Elective Abortion is what is commonly debated. It is the choice of the expectant mother for any number of personal reasons.

There are numerous methods of abortion, including surgical, chemical and even herbal abortions. Abortion facts dictate that the most common in modern times are the surgical and chemical abortions, although until the 20th century, herbal abortions were the prominent, and sometimes the only, option for a woman who wished to have an abortion. Surgical methods are both diverse and complicated and they are often under much political and legal scrutiny. Manual Vacuum Aspiration, Electric Vacuum Aspiration, and Dilation and Curettage are early-term abortion options. Later-term options include Dilation and Evacuation, Hysterectomy Abortion, and Intact Dilation and Extraction, which is also known as Partial Birth Abortion and has been subject to legal precedents, especially the partial Birth Abortion Ban, which was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2003.

When discussing abortion facts, you must also think about chemical abortions. Chemical abortion is performed by combining drugs to end a pregnancy. Methotrexate or Mifepristone is followed by one of two types of prostaglandin, either misoprostol or gemeprost, to terminate the pregnancy.

From the legal standpoint, abortion facts are plentiful. The Christian church used to decide whether or not an abortion could be done by whether or not the movement of the fetus had occurred. By the 18th and 19th centuries, social reformers and clergymen wanted to place a complete ban on abortion. IN the 20th century, most Western countries had legalized abortion, most notably the controversial 1973 court case Roe vs. Wade, decided by the US Supreme Court, legalized early-term abortions. The passing of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban in 2003 was prefaced by the law being passed by Congress two other times, but being vetoed by President Bill Clinton.

Abortion Facts, Fact Not Fiction is a post from: Pregnancy and Childbirth Guide

Abortion issues stem from a variety of concerns. There are two major questions at the heart of all abortion debate: the question Pro-Life advocates – or those opposing abortion – concentrate on is, “When does life begin?” This is central issue of their argument against abortion. Pro-Lifers believe that life begins at conception and therefore abortion should be considered murder. Pro-Choice advocates – or those who support abortion – are concerned with the question, “Do women have the right to choose whether or not they have an abortion?” Pro-Choice advocates believe that abortion is a women’s rights issue and that all women should be free to choose what happens to her body. This debate is incredibly fierce because of the political, social, and moral implications of abortion. Religious Right leaders tend to be Pro-Life, while Feminists tend to be Pro-Choice. But there are many, many exceptions to this statement. In fact, most people fall somewhere in the middle on this particular debate.

There are other abortion issues that are major points of discussion in the abortion debate. These are social issues about the procedure of abortion itself, its effects on society, and highly biased preferences that sometimes lead to choosing abortion.

The first of these is the existence of what are commonly known as “back-alley abortions”. This term refers to an abortion performed outside the medical community and not in safe ways. For example, women who are looking to get an abortion in a country where abortion is illegal may resort to finding an abortion provider who is not a trained medical professional. They may find a trained medical professional who is willing to do the procedure, but only in an unsafe and unclean environment such as a home or even a storage space. Sometimes these people will perform abortions in a way that is not medically proved effective. The term back-alley abortion can also refer to something the woman does to herself to produce an abortion, such as use a coat hanger to scrape her uterine walls.

Another of these abortion issues is the recent study done by economists that the tremendous drop in the crime rate is due to the legalization of abortion with the famous court case Roe vs. Wade in 1973. Many people argue that this study is biased against race, but nonetheless, the data are accurate.

The final of these abortion issues is sex-selective abortion. In many countries, particularly Asian countries, the advent of the prenatal ultrasound and the knowledge of what sex a child will be before its birth brought about abortions due to the sex of the fetus. Many cultures favor male children, and in these countries sex-selective abortion was very common before the initiation of laws preventing them.

Abortion Issues: Social Concerns And Debates is a post from: Pregnancy and Childbirth Guide

Abortion laws are those legislations which describe whether or not the practice of abortion is allowed in certain places, and how it can be practiced. As the technical details vary greatly from country to country, I will be focusing on general details for general geological areas.

Abortion laws were discussed in discourse all the way back to the ancient Greek and Roman times in the writings of such people as Plato and Aristotle, who favored abortion in certain circumstances, and Hippocrates who completely disagreed with the practice. Certain writers of this time period even discussed different abortifacient herbs – or herbs that cause abortion – and how to use them. Religion has always played a major role in the legalization or banning of abortion. Many Catholic popes have declared abortion a “sin against marriage”. In the 1800s, Western countries began making abortion illegal because of moral dilemmas and because the practice of abortion at that time was so dangerous. However, abortions did not decrease due to the bans. This is a major reason why in the 20th century legislation was passed in many countries legalizing the practice of abortion. Most countries now have legalized abortion procedures that are safer than other medical treatments available.

International abortion laws are difficult to uphold due to individual country’s laws. However, the United Nations, as well as other international organizations, has instituted a number of legislations regulating abortion and dealing with women’s rights. One such legislation is the 1994 Programme of Action, which states that abortion should not be used as a practice of family planning. It also recognizes that in countries where abortion is legal, those practices should be safe. In other words, this legislation helps make sure that abortion procedures are medically regulated and practiced by licensed professionals. Another of the international abortion laws states that women have the right to make a decision about her body without being coerced or punished. This legislation is called the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action.

Individual countries ultimately make their own abortion laws. In Africa, most countries allow Therapeutic abortion, but in cases of rape, socio-economic factors and fetal defects, abortions are not allowed. On demand abortions are illegal in almost every country. In Asian countries like China, North Korea and Cambodia, all abortions are legal. In Japan, abortions are only legal in the first and second trimester, and on demand abortion are not allowed. In Europe, most countries have relaxed abortion laws, except for in Malta and Vatican City, where all abortions are illegal. Ireland, San Marino, and Andorra allow for therapeutic abortions only. In the Middle East, only Bahrain allows all types of abortion; most countries provide for the health of the woman. In Canada and the United States, all types of abortion are legal, though on demand abortions are a bit more restricted in the US.

Abortion Laws: National and International is a post from: Pregnancy and Childbirth Guide

There are many different induced abortion methods. The one chosen for a woman depends on her personal preference and on how far along the pregnancy is. There are two basic types of induced abortion methods: surgical and chemical. Surgical abortions involve surgical procedures. Chemical abortions are done by administering abortifacient drugs to the woman. Herbal abortions are a possibility and they were very popular up until the 19th century when surgery and anesthetic were invented. However, herbal abortion methods are not safe, nor are they regulated by the medical community.

There are several different surgical abortion methods. During the first trimester, there are three major surgical procedures: Manual Vacuum Aspiration, Electric Vacuum Aspiration, and Dilation and Curettage. Manual Vacuum Aspiration, or MVA, uses suction to remove the embryonic tissue through a syringe after the cervix has been dilated. Electric Vacuum Aspiration is similar, except an electric pump is used to remove the tissue. Dilation and Curettage is when the doctor dilates the cervix and then uses a sharp instrument called a curette to scrape the uterine walls, a process which removes the embryo.

During the second trimester, the common abortion methods used are Dilation and Evacuation, Hysterotomy, and Intact Dilation and Extraction. Dilation and Evacuation – also called D&E – is when the cervix is dilated and then instruments are used to scrape the uterine walls and suction is used to remove the embryonic tissue. Hysterotomy is essentially a cesarean section, but the end result is an aborted fetus. The most controversial of all abortion methods is Intact Dilation and Extraction. This procedure is done by dilating the cervix, turning th fetus to breech position with forceps, and making a cut at the base of the skull. A suction device is then inserted into the cut, removing the brain tissue from the skull. This method is also called Partial Birth Abortion.

The most commonly talked about of abortion methods is probably the “abortion pill”. The abortion pill is actually the combination of two drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol. Mifepristone – sometimes referred to as RU-486 – stops the action of progesterone in the pregnant woman’s body. This cause the uterus to slough off the embryo and bleeding may occur. Then a dose of misoprostol is given, which causes a miscarriage by beginning cramping and contractions. The abortion pill only is available in the first 8 weeks of pregnancy. It is a very safe procedure, and is 95% effective. In very few cases, it is sometimes necessary for the woman to come back and have a follow up surgical procedure to complete the abortion process.

What Are Some Abortion Methods? is a post from: Pregnancy and Childbirth Guide

An abortion pill is defined by the dictionary as, “a drug taken orally to induce abortion, especially early in pregnancy.” The term “abortion pill” commonly refers to the drug Mifeprex, an abortifacient made up of the combination of two FDA approved medications: mifepristone and misoprostol. This abortion pill works during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy to cause a chemically induced miscarriage.

Mifepristone is also known as RU-486 and was developed in France. The drug works by blocking progesterone, a hormone that helps maintain pregnancy. If this hormone is not present, the uterus will begin to shed the lining, dependant on the woman, sometimes bleeding will occur. Mifepristone is taken orally in an abortion clinic. After this drug is taken, the clinic will provide a second drug called misoprostol. Misoprostol is taken between 24 and 72 hours after Mifepristone has been taken. Misoprostol causes the uterus to contact, thus causing a miscarriage. Many women prefer this type of abortion because it allows them the ability to be at home and in private when the miscarriage occurs. It also lets the woman have a little control over the situation, which some women find helpful.

A small amount of bleeding may occur when a person takes the first part of the abortion pill, Mifepristone. The amount of bleeding varies greatly from woman to woman. Some women do not even experience any bleeding from the first drug, while others experience period-like blood flow. Cramping and bleeding will occur with the second part of the abortion pill, Misoprostol. Sometimes this happens within 20 minutes of taking the drug. Regardless, 6 to 8 hours after taking the Misoprostol, cramping is experienced – often in waves, and sometimes very severely. Some women have side effects including vomiting and diarrhea. Clots are usually expelled, but it is impossible to see the embryo because it is too small.

It is necessary to have a follow-up appointment at the abortion clinic two weeks after the abortion pill is administered. This appointment will involve an exam to be sure the abortion has occurred. Although the abortion pill is between 95% and 97% effective, a small percentage of women have to have a follow up surgical abortion procedure to complete the abortion. This surgical procedure involves dilation the uterus and using suction to get rid of the remaining tissue.

As with any medical procedure, there are risks to using the abortion pill. Blood transfusions have been needed to replace lost blood due to excessive bleeding, but this is not at all common.

What Is An Abortion Pill? is a post from: Pregnancy and Childbirth Guide

The term “Pro-Life” is central to the debate of the validity of abortion. Pro-Lifers are generally against all types of Induced Abortion, both Therapeutic Abortion and Elective Abortion. They feel that human life begins at conception, and that every stage of this life, from embryo to fetus to newborn, has a right to life.

People who are against abortion believe that more growth and change in physicality occurs in the gestational period before birth than occurs throughout the rest of a person’s life. Within the first three weeks, basic biological set up for the brain, spinal cord and nervous system begin to develop and the heart begins to beat. In the next few weeks, the baby forms limbs, lungs, eyes, musculature, and eventually begins to move. At five months, the mother can feel the baby kick; at six months, the baby can hear; at seven months, the baby’s eyes open and it can see. They are also against abortion because they believe it can be painful for the baby.

With all of the growth and change listed above, Pro-lifers believe that the baby is also developing a soul and a consciousness that will be destroyed by abortion. The issue of the existence of a soul is commonly brought up by those who are against abortion. Many Pro-Lifers believe in God and in the creation of a person’s soul at the moment of conception.

Pro-Lifers who are Christian believe that the Bible reinforces their beliefs against abortion. Christians use Bible verses to build logic behind their belief system. For example, the Bible teaches not to destroy innocent life (Genesis 9:6, Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 27:25a, Proverbs 6:16-19). Many claim that the Bible states that unborn babies are human life in books like Luke and Genesis. The books of Luke and Jeremiah state that God knows a person’s soul before they are born. Therefore, an unborn child must be human life because God knows the child, and it is against God’s will to destroy human life.

Pro-Lifers are against abortion even in the case of rape or incest. While they believe that these are despicable crimes and the perpetrators should be punished, they feel that the unborn children created by these crimes should not be punished. These are innocent byproducts of sexual crimes.

They do not feel that abortions should be funded in any way by the government. This includes the funding for clinics like Planned Parenthood. People who are against abortion sometimes commit violent acts of aggression aimed at abortion clinics. Abortion doctors have been killed, and clinics have been destroyed because of fanatical Pro-Lifers. Most Pro-Lifers feel these people are wrong to kill in order to prevent abortions.

Pro-Life: Against Abortion is a post from: Pregnancy and Childbirth Guide

Anti Abortion people are commonly referred to as “Pro-Life”. This nickname has to do with their belief that life begins at conception. Since those who are anti abortion believe that life begins at conception, they feel that abortion is essentially murder and should not be legal for any reason. However, as with any other heated political debate that has religious and moral implications, there is a lot of “gray area” between Pro-Life and Pro-Choice. For example, some people consider themselves Pro-Life, but are in favor of abortion if the pregnancy endangers the mother.

Christians often are anti abortion. These people draw on messages in the Bible to back their Pro-Life arguments. Certain books of the Bible, like Luke and Jeremiah, claim that God knows all souls before they are born. They interpret this to mean that if God knows someone before birth, then that person is alive the moment he or she is conceived.

Anti abortionists also believe that the most a person will grow and change is when they are in the womb. Before birth, a human being develops all of their physical attributes like arms, legs, a spine, a brain, and the ability to feel pain. Fetal pain is a huge debate that also is important to those who are anti abortion. Pro-Lifers believe that the fetus can feel pain during the first trimester of pregnancy. Thus, an abortion would be painful for the unborn child. However, many other professionals suggest that the fetus cannot feel pain until the second of third trimester. This means that abortions performed in the first, or even early in the second trimester, do not cause the fetus to feel any pain.

While the Supreme Court of the United States declared abortion legal with the precedent-setting Roe vs. Wade decision in 1973, states are allowed to ban late term abortions as long as the mother’s health is provided for. Essentially, this means that states that have residents who are primarily anti abortion have placed bans on late-term abortions. Currently, there is a ban on one late-term abortion procedure, Intact Dilation and Extraction, called the Partial Birth Abortion Ban. This ban does make provisions for circumstances when the mother’s health is at risk, so the Supreme Court is debating the validity of the law.

Anti abortion proponents claim that even abortion in the case of rape or incest should be illegal because the fetus is not at fault. They also are against abortion clinic being funded by the government. In fact, many anti abortionists are so passionate that they will kill abortion doctors or bomb abortion clinics. This is by no means represents the average Pro-Lifer, but rather a very small percentage.

Anti Abortion: What It Means To Be Pro-Life is a post from: Pregnancy and Childbirth Guide

Speaking technically, the definition of abortion as written in The American Heritage Dictionary is the, “termination of pregnancy and expulsion of an embryo or of a fetus that is incapable of survival. Any of various procedures that result in such termination and expulsion.” Of course, this is a very stiff definition of abortion, as the topic itself is quite volatile when speaking politically, legally, or morally.

The definition of abortion is not limited to terms of induced abortion, but also can be defined in terms of spontaneous abortion, or miscarriage. Spontaneous abortion happens when the woman’s body rejects the embryo or fetus for any number of reasons. This is an accidental process, over which the mother has no control. Some of the reasons for spontaneous abortion depend on when the miscarriage occurs. Most spontaneous abortions happen within the first two weeks of pregnancy, and are due to abnormalities of the embryo. Spontaneous abortions during the second and third trimesters are often due to problems with the mother’s body. Some of these problems could be hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, or another disease of the endocrine system; cervical or uterine irregularities; or emotional difficulties. Sometimes, the mother’s immune system won’t recognize the embryo and will expel it believing it is foreign tissue. Only about 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage.

The most commonly referred to definition of abortion is Induced Abortion. Induced abortion is the willful choice of the woman. This choice can be made for a multitude of reasons, but in general, there are two types of Induced Abortion: Therapeutic Abortion and Elective Abortion. Therapeutic Abortion is done for medical reasons. Often, this definition of abortion is not considered, but it is very prominent. If the woman’s doctor fears that the pregnancy or birth will great endanger the woman’s physical or mental health, the pregnancy can be terminated. Elective Abortion is when the woman decides for her own personal reasons to terminate the pregnancy. There are many, many reasons that a woman could choose this option, including, but not limited to: financial problems, immaturity, cultural or religious concerns – especially if she is not married or very young – and not being on good terms with the father. Also, victims of sexual assault or abuse often choose to terminate a pregnancy that is the result of this abuse.

There are two basic types of induced abortion procedures: surgical and chemical. Surgical procedures depend on the stage of gestation. The basic surgical abortion procedures are Manual Vacuum Aspiration, Electric Vacuum Aspiration, Dilation and Curettage, Dilation and Evacuation, Intact Dilation and Extraction, and Hysterotomy. Chemical abortions are done by early induction of labor due to the administration of abortifacient drugs.

What Is The Definition of Abortion? is a post from: Pregnancy and Childbirth Guide

In order to keep the facts about abortion straight, the medical field provides specific terminology for the processes of abortion. Abortion is separated into two categories: spontaneous abortion and induced abortion. Spontaneous Abortion is more commonly referred to as miscarriage. A Spontaneous Abortion happens when trauma occurs and accidentally affects the embryo or fetus, causing the mother’s body to expel it. This is due to natural causes such as genetic problems or disease.

The second category, Induced Abortion, is further separated into two sub-categories: Therapeutic Abortion and Elective Abortion. Therapeutic Abortion is done only to benefit the health of the mother. There are many different reasons that this might be an option for an expectant mother. Some women opt to terminate a pregnancy when the fetus has been found to have a congenital defect that would greatly hinder its development or even end in imminent death. A woman who is expecting multiple births may have to reduce the number of births in order to preserve her own health. These facts about abortion are often misunderstood.

The second sub-category of Induced Abortion is Elective Abortion. Most facts about abortion are greatly skewed because of this type of abortion. Elective Abortion is any abortion that is done for another reason and is the choice of the pregnant woman.

There are three kinds of abortion procedures: Surgical, Chemical, and Herbal. The kind of Surgical Abortion procedure used depends on the duration of the pregnancy. Abortions performed in the first twelve weeks, or trimester, can be done by MVA (Manual Vaccuum Aspiration), EVA (Electric Vacuum Aspiration), or Dilation and Curettage. Between the fifteenth and twenty-sixth weeks of a pregnancy, Dilation and Evacuation can be used. Through the second trimester, techniques such as induced miscarriage (drugs injected into the amniotic fluid), Intact Dilation and Extraction, or a Hysterectomy Abortion can be performed. These are the most misconstrued facts about abortion.

Many people looking for facts about abortion do not know about the option of Chemical or Herbal Abortions. The most common and effective Chemical Abortion method is using either methotrexate or mifepristone, and following that with prostaglandin – there are two available types of this drug: misoprostol is used in the United States, and gemeprost is used in the United Kingdom and Sweden. Misoprostol can be used alone, but it is not as effective as the use of the two drug regimen.
Facts about abortion using herbs are limited, but Herbal Abortions are possible, and are mostly used in folk medicine. Historically, herbs such as tansy, pennyroyal, black cohosh and the extinct silphium were used, but are very dangerous and can cause organ failure and death. Before Roe vs. Wade made abortion legal in the United States – and even nowadays in other countries – knitting needles and clothing hangers were used to cause massive trauma to the uterus and induce miscarriage.

What Are Some Facts About Abortion? is a post from: Pregnancy and Childbirth Guide