by Kayla Weller

Created on: September 27, 2010

A woman should have the right to choose abortion. Pro-life activists point out that there are alternatives to abortion, such as adoption, raising the child themselves, or practicing abstinence. But, for many women, these alternatives simply aren't acceptable.

While practicing abstinence until you're in a healthy, long-term relationship and financially secure is the best choice, it's unrealistic to expect everyone to abstain from sex. A large percentage of the population simply won't. And, even when birth control is used responsibly, no method is one-hundred percent safe.

For many, carrying the child to term and giving it up for adoption is not an option. By this time, these woman fear they'll grow emotionally attached to the child and will be unable to go through with the process. If this happens, the mother's fears may come to fruition and both mother and child will face a difficult life that was simply not necessary.

A complete list of the reasons a woman chooses abortion instead of raising it herself or with her partner is impossible. These reasons are as varied as the number of women who complete the surgery and are often a combination.

Often, possible financial or career difficulties play a part. The woman may be single and not yet established in her career. The opposition would claim that, in the developed world, adequate social services are available to assist the family. However, poor women, especially in the USA, are less likely to receive prenatal care and often struggle despite these social services. Also, many parents want to provide the best life they can for their offspring. Though it shouldn't be used as a measure of a person's worth, socio-economic class often plays a big part in determining a child's self-worth and ability to support him or herself.

In other cases, the woman simply feels she isn't prepared to properly parent a child. Maybe she's a teenager or hasn't yet completed her education. Maybe she simply recognizes her own emotional disturbances, no matter what her age or status. No child should have to deal with a parent who resents being forced to raise him or her.

The mother may also have an illness that prevents her from properly caring for the child. It may be a terminal one such as the late stages of cancer. Many are horrified by the thought of dying while their offspring are still young and unable to care for themselves. And, if the woman is single and has no family that can care for the child, he or she may spend years in the foster care system where they face an uncertain future. At other times, it may be a mental illness like schizophrenia. Though schizophrenics are often responsible parents, the mother may not want to place that burden on the child.

The main reason pro-life activists oppose abortion is their belief that each human life is sacred and that human life begins at the moment of conception. However, those of us on the pro-choice side often believe something similar. Why bring a child into the world to face difficulties that they don't have to? Most abortions are completed in the first trimester of pregnancy. At this point, the fetus hasn't developed the capacity to feel pain or to be aware of their surroundings. If an abortion can be conducted in a kind, painless manner, why not?

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