Tara Kilburn

FHS 1500
Unit 1 Essay
Question
The topic of abortion is very controversial, but nothing has ever been learned by
avoiding tough subjects. What are your views on abortion? Under what circumstances,
if any, would you consider it? If you were a lawmaker, what would be your stand on this
issue? (*In India, boys are valued more than girls and amniocentesis has become
widespread. In one province, only one in thousands of abortions following:
amniocentesis was that of a male fetus, the rest were females. How do you feel about
abortion as a tool for gender selection? Suppose that one of the female fetuses in the
previous example was also identified as having suffered severe mental and physical
damage to the point that, after birth, the resulting child would mentally and physically be
unable to care for itself. Would this information influence (change) your decision?)
Answer
Abortion is a subject that can be looked at in many different ways. It can come
down to multiple decisions when a soon-to-be mother makes the choice of aborting a
fetus. From a life-threatening health issue, a scared mother in her teens, to a victim of
rape, women all over the world have chosen to take this route. The view I take on this
touchy subject is relevant to many of the reasons women decide to terminate. I for one
am not a promoter of abortion. One of the main factors of this is In the fourth week, a
miniscule blood vessel that will become the heart begins to pulsate. (Berger. 2014. P.
59). Studies have proved that at four weeks during the embryonic period, it has a heart
beat. That alone has chosen my thoughts on why I would not have an abortion.
If I were to have an abortion, under any circumstances, it may only be when I
have a health issue that will determine my unborn childs death, or my own. If I were to
chose between my death and the fetus, I would promote my child to live a happy and
healthy life. I say this because Ive lived twenty-two years and have an amazing
husband/father that would teach my child to grow and learn ethically with love and
support. At just nine weeks, the fetus has developed its sex organs and has grown three
times its size in such a short amount of time. (Berger, 2014. P.60). After hearing a heart
beat and knowing whether you had a boy or girl would lower my chances of terminating
a fetus. Once I have felt that love and caring for an unborn child, it would be such a
depressed time to make the choice of termination.
As a lawmaker, my abortion laws would be simple, but also fair to those going
through this tough but real decision.
Abortion would be legal but have limits to:

1. There must be a health issue for the mother that will cause a long-term damage to
her life.
2. Abortion must be done sooner than 8 weeks if there are no medical problems.
3. You may not resort to abortion after one termination has been completed and there
were NO complications.
4. The impregnated woman must have a parents consent if under the age of eighteen
years old and is less than eight weeks pregnant.
5. If victimized by rape or drugs and the woman has become pregnant, she may opt
out at any time before 15 weeks.
6. Gender Selection is ILLEGAL and will not be tolerated. A child does not choose
whether he is a male or female. You get what youve conceived.
If I were a child in India being raised because I was chosen, especially because I
was male or female, I would feel so ashamed. A child does not have any influence on
the decision to be a certain gender.
There are children all over the world that suffer from mental issues, as well as
disorders, diseases and syndromes. (Berger. 2014. P. 76-77). Knowing your child may
have any type of teratogens would not affect my choice on having a child. I would
love, nurture, and care for him/her as I would any other. Being in the field of nursing,
I have always felt so much gratitude when assisting anyone in their activities of daily
living. Some may not feel the same about caring for others, but this is what I have
been given to cherish for my life.
Citations
Berger, K. S. (2014). Invitation to the life span (2nd ed.).
New York, NY: Worth Publishers.