An Abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy. It uses medication or surgery to remove the embryo or fetus and placenta from the uterus. The procedure is done by a licensed health care professional. The decision to end a pregnancy is very personal. For many women, having access to an Abortion is important because it is a key component of women’s comprehensive health care. The ability to choose if, when, and how to give birth is linked to women’s economic success, educational attainment, and general health and well-being.
There were many testimonies of women who chose to have an abortion and those who refused to have one in The Abortion Divide. Through their experiences, I also learned why some women decided to keep their pregnancies and why others do not. Shahara was one of the few women in the video who chose to go through with an abortion. She did that because she felt she couldn’t afford to bring another child into the world, especially because she already has four children and is financially struggling to care for them. Shahara is grateful for the option to get an abortion because if she didn’t, her situation would be much worse and she would be at a loss for what to do.
While Shahara opted to have an abortion, many women, like Rosie, did not because she did not believe in abortion, especially growing up in a large family like hers. Despite her reluctance for having several children, she believes that terminating the pregnancy is wrong and that babies are a “blessing.” Brittany is another woman who opted to have her baby after previously considering an abortion. She ended up having her daughter when she just couldn’t go through terminating her pregnancy.
When looking through the snapshots, one that had stood out to me was posted by Keona Malcolm. The woman in Keona’s Snapshot is pregnant and in shock as she is dragged away by a priest or a powerful figure in the church.
Referring back to the film The Abortion Divide, there was a scene in which a woman desired to get an abortion but was advised that her baby would suffer if she did. This instilled enough worry and anxiety in the mother because she believed her baby would suffer pain and went on to give birth to her child.
Dr. George Isajiw (a member of the Catholic Medical Association) felt compelled to explain to women why they should carry their pregnancies to term, and that abortions are just wrong and sinful. Now, if women are behaving out of fear, especially because of the church, they will undoubtedly carry their pregnancy to term.
Personally, I believe that women should be allowed to do anything they choose with their pregnancy. Terminating the pregnancy or keeping the pregnancy should both be fine, and women should not feel obligated to continue or get rid of their pregnancy because of others. After all, it is her body, hence she should have the final say.