The coexistence of opposite and conflicting feelings about abortion is centuries old. Most arguments against granting women the right to abortion are based on religious and moral prohibitions, defending the sanctity of human life. Opponents of abortion rely on the premise that the fetus is a human being, a person from the moment of conception. Anti-abortionist proclaim that they are pro-life, however they spend so much time establishing that the fetus is a person and therefore has a right to live that they forget about mothers rights or simply ignore her existence.The word murder is often used by pro-lifers to describe abortion. Murder means deliberate and unjustified killing of another person containing intent. How can anybody see an evil intent in a womans decision to interrupt pregnancy if it is a result of rape or incest? A woman cannot bear the thought of having a child that would be a constant reminder of what had happened on such a day and such number of years ago. She does not want to kill a baby; she wants to interrupt the growth of an embryo so that it will not become a baby. She interrupts potential life, but potential life is just that, potential.It is interesting to note that these same people, who place so much emphasis on protecting the fetus, seem to care so little about what happens to children after they are born. My personal belief is that each woman should have a right to decide whether she wants to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. For reasons of womens right to self-determination, protection of their health, adequate care of children which are born and in order to prevent child abuse and mental disease, easy access to abortion is a must. I recently heard on TV that most abortions occur because contraception failed, because of a rape or because of a serious medical condition of the mother, which could lead to her death. In these situations abortion is often the only way that prevents the birth of an unwanted child ...
