Abortion
There are two viewpoints on abortion: pro-life and pro-choice. Pro-life supporters feel that each embryo/fetus has the right to live. They believe that the embryo becomes a person at the point of conception, making abortion an act of murder. They argue that abortion is unfair, as there are couples who are unable to have children waiting to adopt. Pro-choice supporters feel a woman has the right to terminate an embryo/fetus. They believe that abortion is a fundamental right that should not be limited by the government or any religious authority, and that this right is more important than any right of the fetus/embryo. They argue that if abortion is illegal, pregnant women will only resort to unsafe illegal abortions.
Abortion became legal in the United states in 1973, after the Supreme Court case of Roe v. Wade. The court's decision invalidated all laws forbidding abortion and set guidelines for its availability.
There are various methods used to perform abortions. Medical abortion is the use of pharmaceutical drugs to kill the child in its early stages of development. Surgical abortion is the actual removal of the fetus from the womb, either through the use of a suction vaccume or a curette (knife).
There are two types of abortion: therapeutic and elective. Therapeutic is when abortion is used to save the woman's life or to prevent the birth of a child with a fatal birth defect. Elective abortion is simply at the request of the woman. Most aboritons are elective. Often, the mother simply does not want the child, either because it does not fit her lifestyle, or she cannot support it. A survey in 1987 showed that only 7% of abortions were therapeutic (http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/abreasons.html).
In Kentucky, it is legal to have an abortion in the first trimester (the first three months of pregnancy). After that, an abortion is only legal if it is to save the mother's life. If the mother is under 18, she needs permission from one of her parents.
In the United States, 3,288 abortions occur each day, which adds up to around 1.2 million per year.
Abortion became legal in the United states in 1973, after the Supreme Court case of Roe v. Wade. The court's decision invalidated all laws forbidding abortion and set guidelines for its availability.
There are various methods used to perform abortions. Medical abortion is the use of pharmaceutical drugs to kill the child in its early stages of development. Surgical abortion is the actual removal of the fetus from the womb, either through the use of a suction vaccume or a curette (knife).
There are two types of abortion: therapeutic and elective. Therapeutic is when abortion is used to save the woman's life or to prevent the birth of a child with a fatal birth defect. Elective abortion is simply at the request of the woman. Most aboritons are elective. Often, the mother simply does not want the child, either because it does not fit her lifestyle, or she cannot support it. A survey in 1987 showed that only 7% of abortions were therapeutic (http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/abreasons.html).
In Kentucky, it is legal to have an abortion in the first trimester (the first three months of pregnancy). After that, an abortion is only legal if it is to save the mother's life. If the mother is under 18, she needs permission from one of her parents.
In the United States, 3,288 abortions occur each day, which adds up to around 1.2 million per year.