De La Cruz 1

Briana De La Cruz

Professor Powers

English 1302

06 February 2023

Abortion

Introduction

 On January 22, 1973, the US Supreme Court rendered a landmark decision in Roe vs.

Wade, a ruling that conferred a nationwide constitutional right to abortion for women. However,

the ruling's progressive underpinnings were recently called into question, as on June 24, 2022,

the same court overturned Roe vs. Wade, thus stripping women of their autonomy to decide

whether or not to terminate a pregnancy, “that leaves many women and girls without the right to

obtain abortion care that was established nearly 50 years ago” (POLS 1). How does the decision

against abortions affect people? Against the backdrop of the chaotic events of 2022, including

the COVID-19 pandemic, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the tragic shooting at Robb

Elementary School, and the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the revocation of Roe vs. Wade by

the Supreme Court constitutes a particularly devastating blow to society. 2022 was only the start

of what was to come. Not only does this demolish the fifty years of legal protection women have

had on abortions, but questions the rights women have to their bodies. “The shaming and

blaming that women undergo in health institutions is a human rights violation”( Sunil, 8). This

research will consist on the importance abortions have on women and society. It will inform the

readers of different perspectives on abortions, both ways negative and positive outcomes.

Methods
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An electronic survey questionnaire was designed to gather insights from a randomized

sample of individuals on the legality of abortions in the United States. The survey was made

available to the public for a period of twenty-four hours, from February 1st to February 2nd,

through various media outlets. Prior to completing the questionnaire, participants were provided

with a clear explanation of the survey's purpose and informed that their responses would remain

anonymous. The survey questions included inquiries on the participant's gender, age, and stance

on the legality of abortions, as well as a request for an explanation of the reasoning behind their

response. By including a gender selection question, the survey was able to capture a diverse

range of perspectives, including those of non-female respondents. The second question asked for

the participant’s ages ranging from sixteen to nineteen, twenty to twenty- five, and twenty- five

plus. The age question was designed to provide insight into how attitudes toward abortions might

differ among younger versus older individuals. Finally, the question regarding the legality of

abortions and the reasoning behind the answer elicited clear and unambiguous responses that

provided a glimpse into the public's views on this highly controversial topic. This comprehensive

survey methodology helped to uncover nuanced opinions and beliefs held by a diverse range of

participants on this important societal issue.

How Does the Restriction on Abortions Affect the Medical System?

The experiment's significant findings have implications not only for pregnant women but

also for the medical system as a whole. Research indicates that “the rate of resignation among

abortion doctors has risen due to excessive legal burdens or declining patient numbers and

salaries” (Chen et al. 457). Since the Supreme Court overruled Roe vs. Wade, many clinics have

been forced to shut down, and individuals who made a living performing abortions have been

compelled to either relocate to states where abortion is legal or seek out alternative careers. Soon
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enough, this will result in the absence of studying abortions and will cause the deaths of many

women who may need an abortion. For instance, when the Supreme Court overruled Roe vs.

Wade, they said an abortion would only be performed if the mother was in severely unhealthy

conditions. Now, what if a woman needs an abortion, or she will die? Someone’s life may be in

danger because a doctor lacks the knowledge to perform an abortion since abortions are now

illegal.

Denied Services

Prior to the overturning of the Roe Vs. Wade case, women across the globe were

subjected to judgment and condemnation for seeking abortions.  Many were scolded at and

denied the service of abortion for religious reasons or simply because doctors did not want to; for

example, a forty-five year old woman seeking an abortion in her country in India had a doctor

refuse to act upon her wishes unless the patient got her tubes tied, “‘you will go and sleep with

all men, and it is my responsibility to clean your stomach. If you get [sterilized], I will do the

abortion’” (Sunil 8). This woman was so desperate that she agreed and got an abortion, with the

cause of raising her child alone. As a result, this desperate situation led many women to travel far

from their homes to obtain abortions, resulting in dangerous at-home abortions or unprofessional

procedures that could lead to death or infection. “Abortion-related deaths most likely occur in the

context of unsafe abortion practices” (PLOS 1).

Do Men Have an Effect on Women's Abortion Choice?

The decision-making process regarding abortion in women may be influenced by the

presence of the father. Women tend to think they should have the child because they are in love

with the man and illusionate the future family. However, while some women prioritize the idea

of having a child with a man they love, others may not feel the need to involve him in the
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decision-making process. Research states that “the presence of a father will benefit a child, not

only before birth, but throughout the child’s life” (Sandler 2). In the survey, twenty-eight percent

of men answered “no” to the question of whether abortion should be illegal or not. The

respondents indicated that women should have the autonomy to choose whether or not they wish

to have a child. The results in men replying to the question was interesting simply because

women hold men in a lower level when the topic of abortion arises. The result not only shows

how men are involved with abortions but eliminates the thought that men are irrelevant to such

topics.

Results

The results of the experimental survey clearly demonstrate that the decision to undergo

an abortion should be left to the discretion of women rather than the state. This survey included

over twenty-five participants; fourteen of them were women, six of them were male, and one of

them preferred not to say. The majority of the answers regarding the abortion law said abortion

should not be illegal because of such situations as rape, financial stability, and for the reason that

women should have a choice in what to do with their bodies. About eight percent of the people

chose yes; abortion should be illegal because it is a child, and there are more options for

preventing pregnancy. The evidence gathered from this experiment proves that whether men or

women have an opinion on this subject, the odds at which people think women should have

access to abortions are higher than those who think they should not. However, further research

should be taken upon this subject to a certain extent, for the rights of women are now in the

government's hands.
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Works Cited
Song Chen, Xiaolei Gu, Long Qi, Qing Qi, Jing Zhou, Ling Wang. “Reflections on Abortion

Rights: From Policy to Medicine.” BioScience Trends, Vol. 16, No. 6, International

Advancement Center for Medicine & Health Research Co., 2022, pp. 1-5, EBSCOhost,

DOI: 10.5582/bst.2022.01354

Bhuvaneswari Sunil, “Marginalised Women and Reproductive Rights: Who Should Mediae

Access to Safe Abortion?” ARROWs for Change, Vol. 24, No. 1, pages 7-9, Asian-

Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women, 2018, EBSCOhost, URL:

https://web.s.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=15&sid=50d12288-8702-40e7-8eb5-

9250ed9ab29d

%40redis&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPXNzbyZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=133658345&db=a9h

Sandler, Richard, “Fatherlessness begins Prenatally: A Scoping Review.” Nemours Children’s

Health, Dept of Gastroenterology, Vol. 37, No. 2, Issues in law and Medicine, 2022,

Pages 1-4, EBSCOhost, URL: https://web.s.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?

vid=20&sid=50d12288-8702-40e7-8eb5-9250ed9ab29d

%40redis&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPXNzbyZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=160018085&db=a9h

PLOS Medicine Editors, “Why Restricting Access to Abortion Damages Women’s Health.”

PLOS Medicine, Vol. 19, No. 7, Public Library of Science, 2022, Pages 1-4, EBSCOhost,

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004075