Throughout the 2024 election, Vice President Kamala Harris ran a campaign on a platform for womens’ rights, specifically when it came to accessing abortion, which became endangered when Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022, under a Trump presidency.
In the early morning of Nov. 6, Donald Trump was projected to be elected as the 47th president, bringing up fears of what would become of access to abortion, fears that unfortunately are not misplaced, even with states like Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, and four other states passing abortion rights via the ballot box. Abortion should be legal in all cases with limitations in the third trimester unless a woman’s life is endangered or severe fetal health issues arise, as it is a safe medical procedure that protects the lives of women and an abortion ban endangers the healthcare of women.
The topic of abortion is not clear cut, it is complex and everchanging for each individual involved. Some women like Melissa and Sarah share their stories of abortion on Abortion Stories – Advocates for Youth. Melissa writes, “Earlier this year I was heartbroken to find out the child I was carrying would be born with a genetic condition detrimental to his health. I had an abortion to save him from the pain he would experience.” Melissa’s story is one of conflict, in the end, Melissa decided that it was better to terminate the pregnancy on the basis that the child would have a poor quality of life and may not survive long after the birth.
While Sarah’s story differs, she writes that “If I had a child with my abuser, my child’s life would have been broken from the start.” Sarah’s story is different than Melissa’s, with Sarah’s decision coming from a place of an abusive relationship. She did not want to put her child through the same struggles she was put through and decided it was in her and the child’s best interest to terminate the pregnancy.
The advocacy for abortion isn’t just backed up by complex, individualistic stories unique to each woman involved. Strong facts also back it up. According to Amnesty International in the world, “one in four pregnancies ends in abortion every year.” The same sight goes on to claim that in the world “25 million unsafe abortions take place.” It is these unsafe abortions that drive the case for access to legal, safe abortions.
A study by Tulane University offers insight into the mortality rate when it comes to restriction to abortions, claiming that “The researchers found that states with the higher score of abortion policy composite index had a 7 percent increase in total maternal mortality compared with states with lower abortion policy composite index.” This study shows the clear correlation between restrictions, on abortion and the danger it puts women in; the more restrictions the higher the chance of death.
The legalization of abortion while many view it as a polarizing issue is one that is supported by a majority of Americans. The main difference becomes when is the line drawn for when abortion should no longer become legal. Pew Research Center offers insight into this complex question, stating that 6 out of 10 or 61 percent of Americans believe abortion should be legal in “all” or “most” cases, with 36 percent believing in “all” cases. When breaking down the demographics of support for abortion, women are slightly more likely to support abortion, and 74 percent of younger adults (under 30) believe that abortion should be legal.
As the term of pregnancy progresses the support for abortion decreases, with the Pew Research Center showing that at 24 weeks, which is about a month before the third trimester, only 22 percent of Americans believe abortion should be legal. At 24 weeks a baby can survive outside the womb with medical assistance and its chance only increases as the weeks progress.
Abortion should be legal up to the third trimester when a baby can survive outside the womb unless the mother’s life is in danger or the child develops a severe medical problem. Paw Research Center also shows this view is supported by about 54 percent of Americans believing that if the mother’s life is in danger or the baby develops severe medical disabilities abortion should be legal.
While statistics may show that a majority of Americans support the legalization of abortion, some look to experts on the topic to determine their viewpoint. The answer is simple, medical professionals support access to abortion. Louise King is an assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology at Harvard. She is also a physician who works at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She claims that “The American Medical Association and the America College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists say that abortion is health care, and I agree. ACOG is very strong in their wording about supporting the right to access abortion.” According to medical organizations as well as medical professionals, abortion is health care and everyone should have the right to access it.
Legal access to abortion should be a protected right, with limitations to this right only in the third trimester unless a woman’s life is endangered or severe fetal health issues arise, as it is a safe medical procedure that protects the lives of women and an abortion ban threatens the healthcare of women. In today’s political and polarizing world, the call for access to abortion is one of controversy, but this shouldn’t be the case. The rights of women now more than ever need to be in the front of everyone’s mind, with one simple question leading the forefront, why should women have fewer rights now than their mothers over 50 years ago? Access to abortion should be a right, a given, not a discussion that divides friends, families, and the nation.
