Economics in Freedom Over One’s Body?

By: Ashwika Koppisetti

Having kids is a privilege that many women enjoy. From conceiving the child to watching them grow up, many women consider it a beautiful experience. Conversely, some women don’t, which is completely valid. So, usually if they become pregnant, these women go to a doctor and take a pill to get an abortion. However, some countries in the world are preventing women from doing so, forcing women to have a baby they don’t want. The choice of whether a woman wants to be pregnant or get an abortion is a basic right and taking away this basic right is a huge issue.

Having the right to abortion is more than just choosing to have a child: it’s also about choosing to have control over one’s own body. This issue bothers me because no one should have control over someone else’s body and make decisions for them that affects their life so immensely. It takes away their freedom of choice. Forcing someone to stay pregnant against their own will is inhumane, especially if the woman gets pregnant forcefully. That is another thing that bothers me. One in twenty women get pregnant through rape or incest, and I strongly believe forcing a woman to carry a baby from such a traumatic experience is morally wrong. Moreover, some women or their families are not financially stable enough to raise a baby. It is not ethically right for the government to force someone to have a baby under those conditions. Not only is the life of the mother negatively impacted, but also the baby’s life for having to be raised through such financial difficulties. Only a woman going through the pregnancy should be able to make the decision of whether or not she wants to have the baby, not the government or court officials. 

Fortunately, some countries acknowledge that only the mother can make the decision regarding keeping the baby. Countries like Germany, places in Europe, some states in the USA, and more are uplifting the ban on abortions. Although some only allow it for around 12-15 weeks of pregnancy, it is certainly progress because in some places abortion is still completely banned. However, I think the timing could be extended, since abortions are safe for up to 23-24 weeks of pregnancy. Overall, things are looking up in some places and are on the way to granting women more freedom!

Still, there can be much more that can be done, especially in places that have banned abortion entirely. I believe the most realistic thing that could be done is to allow abortion up to 23-24 weeks of pregnancy. According to an article in Britannica, it is safe for women to get an abortion up to 23-24 weeks. Allowing women to get an abortion up to this time gives them time to process the pregnancy and make a decision on whether to keep the baby. Of course, this change will have to be done by the government, which may or may not happen. People can also have protests to call attention to the issue, as many people do today, which may lead the government to consider changing the banning of abortion. In the long run, progress will only happen if people treat the banning of abortion as the huge issue it is and work together to bring attention to solve it.

In the future, I really do believe that the fight to legalize abortion will continue. People take freedom very seriously and they won’t stop calling out the government on abortion laws. Countries will change their abortion laws over time. However, I do think that progress won’t happen in all places, because some governments don’t really listen to people’s pleas and do what they think is right. I think this will lead to a lot of women and people who support abortion to move away from these places over time, since people are unlikely to want to live in such restricting areas. The fight for abortion rights will remain a big issue and its progress will depend on how the government thinks about women’s right to their own body.

Abortion isn’t just a procedure to remove a fetus, but it is also a reflection of the freedom to a woman's own body. This freedom should not be taken away from women, as it only affects them. Ideally, I hope that when I’m an adult, abortion will be legal everywhere, but it will be tough to accomplish. As a society, people must be willing to push until women everywhere regain the freedom to make decisions about their own bodies again.