“Around 73 million induced abortions take place worldwide each year,” according to the World Health Organization. The question has always been where does life begin; conception or birth? Anytime abortion is mentioned, the debate between pro-life and pro-choice always ensues. The history of the terms and debate traces back to the early 1970s when abortion was made legal in the United States.
In 1969, a pregnant woman in Texas went to court seeking to be granted the right to abort. During this time it was unconstitutional to abort unless the mother’s life was at risk. Her case was dismissed and she was “forced” to give birth. She, later on, appealed the ruling in the Supreme Court where her case was heard alongside a 20-year-old who had filled the same case but under Georgia.
Roe vs Wade’s conclusion, “Lawyers argued that the abortion laws of Texas and Georgia were unconstitutional as they infringed on a woman’s right to privacy. The court ruled that governments lack the power to prohibit abortions by a vote of seven to two, judging that a woman’s right to choose was protected under the constitution.” Euan O’Byrne Mulligan
This brought the legislation of abortion across America bringing forth the two movements Pro-Choice vs Pro-Life. The win for the Pro-life movement is clear; after the Supreme Court, last week overturned the ruling of Roe vs Wade considering the case of Dobbs vs Jackson Women’s Health Organisation in which Mississippi’s 2018 Gestational Age Act, banned abortions after 15 weeks with exceptions only for medical emergencies or foetal abnormalities.
The court’s 6-3 decision on Dobbs upheld the Republican-backed Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. After this ruling on Friday the 24th of June, thirteen states in America have already passed laws to automatically outlaw abortion.
From where I sit as a Christian, abortion should not be permitted even if the conception has just occurred within less than a minute. Life starts from conception, may the Pro-life movement continue to sweep the globe!
