Roe vs. Wade; Thirty Six Years Later

First trimester abortion was legalized on January 22, 1973 in the controversial decision of Roe vs. Wade with a vote of 7-2. This decision also gave states the right to intervene in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.

The issue of abortion is very complex and should not be looked at through eyes that see only black and white. I do not believe that abortion is a decision that can be taken lightly. For a woman, it is a life-changing event, allowing someone to rip her child from her womb. That isn't something she would be likely to forget in her lifetime. I believe that life starts at the moment of conception, however, I am not naive and as a woman, I understand the need to control what happens to your body.

Although I do not support abortion, I do think that there are circumstances that warrant it. In my opinion, if a woman is raped, victimized by incest, or her life would be endangered through childbirth, then she should have the option to terminate her pregnancy. Too often today abortions are used as a form of birth control and I find that very wrong. If we educate ourselves as a society about birth control methods and make them more attainable, I believe we would see this epidemic subside.

In the year 2000 the Supreme Court voted on a case (Stenberg v. Carhart) that threatened to overturn the 1973 decision. The vote was 5-4, meaning the appointment of one anti-abortion justice could jeopardize a woman's right to choose. It wasn't long ago that it was illegal for a woman to seek out a doctor who could perform a safe abortion in a clean and sterile environment. I fear the day when women are forced to participate in "back-alley" abortions. The deaths of women who are desperate to terminate their pregnancy and will go to any lengths to rid their bodies of the baby growing inside them, would be an unnecessary loss of life.

There are other options; I think that those alternatives should be explored before a woman makes the choice to terminate her pregnancy. I think that she should have to undergo mandatory counseling with someone who is qualified to address her fears and able to share the alternative options while empowering her to make an educated choice.

I can never see myself having an elective abortion, but like most things in life, you can never really make a fair judgment until you are standing in that moment. We can contemplate what we might do, but as we condemn someone for making the choice they feel is their best or only choice, we should consider that we may not know their circumstance.

Abortion will always be a women's rights issue and one that will continue to be debated. I think in the end, whether you are pro-choice or pro-life, one thing both sides will always agree on is that life is precious.