Abortion: Yes or No?

Abortion is the termination of pregnancy by the removal of an embryo or fetus. The term abortion is typically only used in reference to induced abortions while spontaneous abortions are termed miscarriages. In the context of human pregnancies, there are two types of induced abortions. An abortion induced to preserve the health of the pregnant woman, terminate a pregnancy that would result in a child born with a fatal disorder or leave it with significantly disabled or selectively reduce the number of fetuses to lessen the heath risks involved in multiple births is called a therapeutic abortion. An abortion performed at the request of the pregnant woman for any other reason than maternal or fetal health is referred to as an elective abortion. 

In Australia, abortion is legal to protect the life and well-being of the woman. Currently the law states that it is primarily the decision of the pregnant women and there is no law in Australia that requires consent of the child's father. Also, except in Western Australia, no parental consent is required for a minor to undergo an abortion. 

In 2003 alone, 42 million abortions were performed worldwide and believe it or not; that was a decline from nearly 46 million in 1995.

Although my views steer away from induced elective abortions, in the case of one I strongly believe that the pregnant woman should have to notify or gain consent from significant other. For example a minor, her parents; a married woman, her husband; or any other, the biological father. Obviously many agree with me shown in the 2003 Gallup poll. In this US poll, 79% of males and 67% of females supported spousal notification.

Now I don't know about you but I am definitively pro-life rather than pro-choice. I strongly argue that a fetus is a human being and has the right to life. An elective abortion is, in my opinion, murder, and to inflict pain and death on a helpless human being is immoral and cruel. Many say that it's the pregnant woman's choice and her choice only but do you really believe that? Is it right to give one human being total freedom to decide the existence of another? If so, what other human beings does the pregnant woman have the freedom to terminate using common sense and choice? Is it just her children? Is she allowed to murder her eight year old daughter because she believes she can't care for it? 

I just don't understand how you could kill someone. Yes, someone, not something. Now I understand therapeutic abortions and a I completely support them. I don't at all think that it's immoral to terminate a pregnancy to preserve the health of the child or mother. But for personal, social, cosmetic reasons? It just doesn't cut it... not for me.

A person's a person no matter how small.