"The loss of one's life is one of the greatest losses one can suffer. The loss of one's life deprives one of all the experiences, activities, projects, and enjoyments that would otherwise have constituted one's future" (Don Marquis). Life is defined as a form of existence that distinguishes living organisms from dead organisms or lifeless matter in the ability to carry on metabolism, respond to stimuli, reproduce and grow. In today's society one of the ongoing questions is when is it right to take the life of another being, more specifically an unborn child. Abortion is mentally and physically damaging for a woman and her fetus. It should not be legal for three reasons. The three reasons ...view middle of the document...
The most deadly risk of getting an abortion is breast cancer. When a woman has her first pregnancy, it permanently changes the structure of her breasts. Before she is pregnant, her breasts cannot produce milk, as the gland cells are immature and underdeveloped (McGee- 159). When she becomes pregnant, estrogen and other hormones flood her system. Cells rapidly grow into a system of branching ducts and gland cells capable of producing milk (McGee- 221). Once this growth, change and maturing is complete, there is no further significant change the rest of her life. Once mature, the chance of the breast developing cancer is much less. However, if she interrupts her pregnancy, in its early phase, and 90% of abortions are done in the first trimester, she in effect stops the development of the cells at this unstable phase (McGee-286). It seems apparent that cancerous changes occur more frequently among these transitional cells of a woman who has terminated her pregnancy. If she aborts more than once before completing a pregnancy, her chance for cancer increases even more. There are 1,600,000 abortions each year, 56% are first abortions, and 44% are second or more (Stotland- 56). With these figures, one in ten women may develop breast cancer, and 25% of them may die (Stotland- 63). However, there are not only physical risks to abortion, but mental risks also. Some women feel relief after an abortion, but many suffer Post Abortion Stress. The symptoms of Post Abortion Stress include anger, guilt, flashbacks, sexual dysfunction, suicidal ideas, hallucinations and increased drug and alcohol use. These facts alone are evidence that abortions are too dangerous for a woman and her child.Third, abortion is murder because the fetus has developed life- like features before the abortion takes place. By 21 days the heart is pumping blood, arms and legs bud at 28 days, brain is existent by 30 days, and by 35 days, mouth, ears and nose are present. Brainwaves can be recorded and heartbeat detected at 40 days and by 42 days the skeleton is formed. Also by 42 days, the brain is controlling the movement of muscles and organs and the unborn reflexively responds to stimuli. This all takes place before the earliest surgical abortions are performed. Many also believe that because the fetus is not living, it does not experience pain. Pioneer fetologist Albert Liley, of the University of Auckland, says that by the 56th day af...
