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outcry of certain religious groups as it seems to focus on now. Prior to this time, no public group, religious nor political, concerned themselves with abortion or any other reproductive issues. Abortion was something that wasn't discussed in polite society. It was a medical procedure between the woman and her physician.

The fact remains that legal abortion procedures are a need in our society. Women have moved from the traditional obedient second class citizen status to full, equal members of our society. Still womens reproductive rights are constantly being legislated. Not less than a decade ago, women were required by the federal government to obtain their husbands consent to undergo sterility procedures. We have never legislated mens rights to have a sterility procedure performed. Just recently a bill was introduced into legislation that would change the meaning of "birth control" to "abortion" and limit many womens access to contraceptive choices. Two decades ago, women were required to have their husbands consent to be prescribed birth control. There are still many regulations for underage women to obtain birth control. It is ridiculous for society to assume that a woman is old enough to get pregnant, give birth and be responsible for making all necessary legal decisions for that child, but not competent enough to make her own reproductive decisions.

Women for thousands of years have found ways to eliminate unwanted pregnancies. The use of certain herbs, the nightmare back room abortion procedures by unlicensed "doctors", the old fall down the stairs or off a horse method, self performed abortions by desperate women are just a few of the images that come to mind. Throughout history the elimination of unwanted pregnancies has been common practice. When the woman could not abort, the unwanted child was left to die in the wilderness or sold into slavery, even given to orphanages where the child was farmed out as labor to "adoptive parents". Even today unwanted children are found in dumpsters, parking lots and medical clinics, usually placed there by women who are unwilling or unable to care for them.

Should a woman have the right to an abortion? Absolutely. No other person has the right to overturn a womans decision not to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term. The woman is the one who's health will be affected by the pregnancy. The woman is the one who bears the brunt of societies expectations concerning the child she will deliver. The woman is the one who's quality of life is most affected by this choice. There is no legitimate reason why a woman should not be allowed to make her own medical decisions regardless of the moral implications of that decision. It has been proven throughout history that morality cannot be legislated, try as we might as a society to do so. The bottom line is, if a woman does not want to be pregnant, she will find a way not to be.

Learn more about this author, Nora Carver.
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