Abortion

3097 Words7 Pages

Child Psychology
Abortion, You decide

The topic of abortion has been a highly debated and highly controversial issue before America was even founded. There are many aspects of the debate and many angles that can be taken. In order to understand, and to form an opinion on the topic of abortion a person must be informed about the History of abortion, the methods of abortion performed today, the potential side affects of abortion, and the two different and equally debatable sides that are taken today. These are all very important issues to be informed about before making a decision on where you stand.
Abortion is not a particularly new issue or practice and is not exclusively concentrated on American culture. The first record of abortion dates back to 2600 BC, where the first abortion-causing drug was produced. Sometime after this recipe was created the Egyptians used it for contraceptive pessaries. This abortion recipe was neither healthy, nor effective; one of the main ingrediance in this very unscientific recipe was crocodile dung. After some time the Egyptians and many other cultures perfected the process of abortion, and in the 4th century AD St. Augustine laid down catholic rights allowing abortion up to 80 days for female fetuses, and up to 40 days for male fetuses. St. Augustine’s decree is very significant in the history of abortion because it is the first time that the church has gotten involved with the issue of abortion and actually gave their own opinion. In 1564, the Italian anatomist Fallopius, founder of the fallopian tube, publicized condoms as a disease-avoiding device. In 1564, Pope sixtus forbad all forms of abortion. Directly after the decree of Pope sixtus Pope Gregory XIV withdraws Pope sixtus’s decree and allows abortions to be performed freely. In 1803 Some time after the Catholic Church’s rain, Great Britain decreed that abortion would now be charged as a misdemeanor.
During colonial times abortion was legal before quickening, or about the fourth month of pregnancy, historic colonial home medical guides gave recipes for “bringing up the messes” with herbs that could be grown in anyone’s back yard. Unfortunately these recipe...

... middle of paper ...

... this is one that no one will ever totally agree on. You need to decide where you stand and what you represent. In order to understand, and to form an opinion on the topic of abortion I hope that I have informed you about the major angles and views of abortion. The History of abortion, the types of abortion performed today, the potential side affects of abortion, and the two different and equally debatable sides of abortion are all things that you must understand to choose a side to defend concerning abortion.

Works Cited
(In order of appearance)

-Pollitt, Katha. Abortion in American History. The Atlantic, May 1997
-History of Abortion.www.hopeclinic.com/history.htm
-Lewis, Larry. Proclaiming the pro-life message.
Hannable books. 6/1/1997
-Rudy, Kathy. Beyond pro-choice and pro-life. Beacon Press. 7/1/1997
-Baird, Robert. The ethics of abortion, pro-choice and pro-life. Prometheus press. 6/1/1993
-Abortion information center. www.bol.ucla.edu/~karaboon/abortion

Open Document