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Essay on Abortion Policy

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Abortion Policy Abortion is one of about six major issues that the public considers when voting (Witwer). It is a complex issue that has been passionately debated for centuries. The various methods used to carry out the procedure range from disassembling the fetus and crushing the skull in order to suck it all out of the woman’s womb to the procedure called RU-486, that gives the woman a pill to prevent her body from giving the fetus the nutrients to stay alive. Also, some consider certain forms of birth control, Norplant, IUD, and emergency contraceptives to be abortions as well. Many people argue about when in the pregnancy abortions should be allowed, if there should be an age limit, if abortion should be allowed only in certain …show more content…

(Wlezien). Those in the pro-life group are typically much less educated, poorer, conservative and Christian. Organizations such as the NARL (National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League) and Choice USA are a few of the pro-choice groups (Wlezien) (Luker, pg.3). Public opinion presents an important part when deciding a stance. Class, location, beliefs, age, and political affiliations contribute to the difference of opinion among people. According to an article printed in Political Behavior, authors Wlezein and Goggin suggest that public opinion on abortion varies little through the years with a large increase in the 1980’s that resulted in the majority of the public being in favor of abortion “as it is now” (Wlezien, 381). Since the decision of Roe V. Wade in 1973, approximately 23% of adults believe abortion should be legal in all cases, 19% believe it should be illegal in all cases and a majority of 56% believe it should be legal in some cases (Wlezien, 381). Wlezein and Goggin conducted a general social survey that indicated that an overwhelming majority of at least 81% proved that a legal abortion should be possible if the woman’s health is seriously endangered by the pregnancy, if she became pregnant as a result of a rape, or if there is a strong possibility of a defect in the baby (Witwer). Though this data is from 1989, a poll conducted in 1999

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