CFD 1220 Lecture Notes - Lecture 31: Congenital Disorder, Miscarriage, Fetus
Chapter 7- Abortion
Understanding Abortion
• Abortion- A pregnancy ending
• Miscarriage- Spontaneous abortion that occurs on its own
• Induced abortion- Pregnancy that is deliberately ended
Personal Considerations
• For the woman
o Legal and moral arguments
o Short- and long-term ramifications
• For the man
o Possible involvement in the decision-making process, but the decision rests ultimately with the
woman
▪ Men do not have a legal right to prevent abortion from occurring
Abortion statistics
• Unintended pregnancies account for more than 95% of abortions
o Mistimed
▪ The largest percentage of unintended pregnancies
o Unwanted
• The number of abortions rapidly increased after Roe v. Wade
• The number has steadily declined since 1990
• Women who choose to have an abortion vary widely
Distribution of Abortions: 2008
Reasons for terminating a pregnancy
• Lifestyle indicators:
o Lack of financial resources
o Interference with work
o Educational aspirations
o Reluctance to become a single
mother
o Relationship problems
• Fetal and maternal indicators:
o Fetus with life-threatening genetic or developmental abnormality
o Mother’s health at risk
Reasons Women Choose Abortions
• Would change their lives- 74%
• Can’t afford it- 73%
• Problems with relationship- 48%
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