Women--Decision+to+Reproduce

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12. Women should decide if and when they reproduce. Arat Women have the right to decide if and when they reproduce. Woman have the right to reproduce because of both the 14th amendment and because it is an attack on the principle of equality for woman. In the 14th amendment, it is stated the right to personal autonomy, and that his or her personal life are none of the government’s business, and that right includes decisions about parenthood, including a woman’s right to decide whether to have her baby or get an abortion (Loy 1). Therefore if a woman or girl wants to have a baby, the government cannot get involved because it is her decision to do so whenever she wants. In 1973, a ruling called Roe vs. Wade occurred and because of Roe, a dramatic improvement in the lives and health of many woman nationwide happened, and they started to make their own decisions with their conscience or religious beliefs (The Rights To Choose: A Fundamental Liberty" 1). In conclusion because woman are more aware of what they will do with their lives and that they will do it in their own privacy and in this way, more lives will be saved and the stress of having a baby when being pregnant at a young age will decrease. Loy, Jim. "Right To Privacy."__JimLoy.__ Jim Loy. 19 October 2011 <[]>. Hnesler, Brandon. "The Rights To Choose: A Fundamental Liberty." __ACLU__. 19 October 2011 <[]>. || Abby Wilmer
 * QUESTION 12: PRO-A || QUESTION 12: PRO-B
 * QUESTION 12: CON-A

Many women in the United States, depending on the state, do not have the right to decide if and when they reproduce. Some states require parental notification and consent for the pregnant women to abort. Dr. Suzanne Trupin, a Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, wrote in her article, "a number of state laws do require minors notify parents before obtaining an abortion." Requiring consent is not the only reason why women do not chose when they reproduce, many people additionally influence the mother. Kenneth Jost, a Supreme Court editor of the CQ Press, wrote in his article //Abortion Debates//, "In Oklahoma, a new law requires a physician to display an ultrasound image of a fetus for the patient before performing an abortion...Louisiana laws requires a physician to give a copy of an ultrasound to the woman before an abortion." Although the woman does make the final decision whether to abort or carry out the pregnancy, she is influenced by the ultrasound picture of her unborn child, nurses, doctors, peers, and much more, all of which do not allow her to fully decide if and when she reproduces.

Jost, K. (2010, September 10). Abortion debates. CQ Researcher, 20, 725-748. .

Trupin MD, Suzannne R. "Abortion - Types, Preparation and Procedure Information on EMedicineHealth.com." Abortion. WebMD, Inc., 2011. Web. 19 Oct. 2011. . || QUESTION 12: CON-B Catt Perry

Women should not have the right to decide when and if they reproduce because bad decisions can put lives at risk. The laws in place that restrict women’s rights are simply there to protect the woman’s life and health. Kenneth Jost, a Harvard graduate, author, and Assistant Editor of //CQ Researcher//, writes that these laws “protect women from botched abortions”, while “legalizing [abortions] when [the procedure is] deemed necessary for the woman’s life or health” (Jost). Women who legally have the right to an abortion already have the privilege of being able to get one without “laws requiring spousal or parental consent” (Jost). Women shouldn’t be allowed to singlehandedly decide whether or not to have an abortion; Jost points out that already in some states, prior to an abortion, “a health care worker [is required] to evaluate whether a woman is being pressured or coerced to agree to the procedure” (Jost). Women’s health and lives need to be protected under law, and while in some cases this means legalizing abortions, in many situations this means restricting the woman’s right to decide when and if to reproduce.

Jost, Kenneth. "Abortion Debates." //CQ Researcher Online//. N.p., 10 Sept. 2010. Web. 21 Oct. 2011. . || Pro A Taylor Neely Women have the right to choose if/when they want to reproduce. If a woman wants to have a baby/abort a pregnancy, that is her business, not the governments. "//a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and...not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes. Reproductive health therefore implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so. Implicit in this last condition are the right of men and women to be informed and to have access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods of family planning of their choice, as well as other methods of their choice for regulation of fertility which are not against the law, and the right of access to appropriate health-care services that will enable women to go safely through pregnancy and childbirth and provide couples with the best chance of having a healthy infant (para 72)." It wouldn't be fair to make a woman have a baby she didnt want, what if she had been raped and doesnt want to remember that by having that child. This isnt just a problem in the United States, many other countries are fighting for this right for woman. "//One clause of the South African Constitution outlaws discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy. Another clause states that everyone has the right "to be free from all forms of violence from both public and private sources". This clause guarantees bodily and psychological integrity which specifically includes the right "to make decisions concerning reproduction" and "to security and control over bodies". Decisions concerning reproduction can include decisions related to family planning, pre-natal care, safe delivery and post-natal care, as well as prevention and treatment of reproductive tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases and abortion. (Sadik). Women should and somewhat do have the right to reproductive freedoms but it is their body and no one elses, the should be able to make the choices about their bodies.

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