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Morrigan Williams

Kristen Shuman

English Composition II

April 4, 2023

Abortion Rights: My Body My Choice?

At sixteen, a terrified and desperate girl walked into a Planned Parenthood with her

mother to get an abortion. The feeling of dread leading up to it and the stress the body is put

through are unimaginable. For a sixteen-year-old girl, this pain, guilt, and trauma are

unimaginable. Had it been just three short years later, this girl would not have been able to get an

abortion because, on June 24th, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS)

overturned Roe v. Wade. The landmark legislation made access to abortion a federal right in the

United States. This decision immediately dismantled over fifty years of legal protection for

women and their right to bodily autonomy, stripping away women's rights for future generations.

However, there is more to this than women’s rights. The adverse effects of this are

overwhelming, leaving women and young girls all over the country helpless and unable to get the

health care that is so desperately needed. Now that states can decide on abortion laws

individually, it leads the way for safe and effective methods of abortion to be banned. Strict laws

will not reduce the number of abortions or stop people from getting them. Instead, women will

seek alternative options promoting unsafe abortions performed by unqualified individuals.

SCOTUS took away the right to abortion like it was nothing. It must be understood that this

affects women’s rights but is about much more than that. Abortion rights are only the beginning.

It simply begs the question, where is the line drawn?

An article that explores abortions while strict laws are in place states, “Unsafe abortions

are more prevalent in countries with restrictive abortion laws and can lead to significant maternal

mortality” (Anand et al.). Unsafe abortions can lead to numerous complications, such as

incomplete abortion, hemorrhaging, sepsis, infections, and the list goes on. Unsafe abortions are

one of the leading causes of maternal mortality; this is a pressing issue because it is avoidable.

Women are dying unnecessary deaths because their access to healthcare is being ripped out of

their hands. Women need access to safe abortion services, and being deprived of these needs will

lead to desperation, making women think there are no more options. Their lives will continue to

be at risk while abortion clinics are shutting down nationwide. Another article states, “In the

aftermath of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the number of abortion clinics and doctors has

decreased in many US states, limiting patient access” (Chen et al.). In overturning Roe v. Wade,

SCOTUS made it evident that this was not a decision to protect women and their unborn children

but a decision of power and control over women. There is also a substantial financial burden of

unsafe abortions. Every woman admitted for emergency postabortion care may need blood,

operating rooms, and antibiotics. They also require qualified doctors and nurses to give them the

necessary care. This can overwhelm the healthcare system and take away from other patients.

This can be avoided by keeping abortion clinics open. Emergency care would not be needed

because it would be done correctly and safely the first time. Legal abortions have a low risk of

death when performed during the first trimester, as well as a lower risk of death than

childbearing does. As legal abortions became available, the number of women treated for septic

abortion complications decreased majorly. The point is that abortion is essential to women’s

healthcare, and the risks of illegal abortions should have deterred the decision to change how

women take care of themselves.

Overturning Roe v. Wade came all too easily, and this decision affected women the most.

However, women of color are once again getting the short end of the stick. In general, women in

predominately African-American and Hispanic communities are grossly underserved and often

overlooked regarding the healthcare system. The healthcare system has a long history of racist

practices targeting the sexual and reproductive health of people of color. (Artiga et al.). Abortion

rates are higher for women of color, and this could be because women of color have less access

to health care, which affects their access to contraception and other services regarding sexual

health. The variation in the availability of abortion will create disproportionate barriers for

women of color. Underlying inequalities such as limited financial resources and transportation

options have led to women of color experiencing decreased access to healthcare compared to

their white counterparts. Societal and health system factors contribute to the disproportionately

high death rates that black women experience during pregnancy and childbirth, creating a severe

mistrust and disconnect between women of color and the healthcare system. The long history of

racism and inequality in the United States can affect women of color more in this post-Roe

world. While most states criminalize the clinician for providing abortion care, states like Texas

and Oklahoma have enacted laws that allow individuals to sue anyone who aids or abets the

performance or inducement of abortion (Artiga et al.). Policies like these are used as scare tactics

and can significantly affect marginalized communities' ability to make reproductive health

decisions. The consequences of limiting access to reproductive choice are detrimental. A lack of

choice changes women’s lives. Whether or not someone gets an abortion is their choice. It is

evident that SCOTUS did not think about how this decision affects women, nor did many people

think about how women of color would be more disadvantaged regarding abortion rights.
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The overall experience of getting an abortion can be understood only by the person going

through it. The last thing on someone’s mind when walking into an abortion clinic is whether or

not they will be denied this basic form of care. A story that should make everyone rethink the

Supreme Court's decision is one of a ten-year-old girl who was denied an abortion in Ohio after

being raped. Denying women abortions can lead to economic hardships that have a lasting effect.

Many women who were denied abortions are at an increased risk for household poverty and not

having the means to care for children, such as food, housing, and transportation. An article states,

“When women are asked why they want to end a pregnancy, the common reasons are financial-

in particular, not having enough money to raise a child or support another child” (Foster et al.).

Restrictive laws may result in worsened economic outcomes for women, which is crucial to

understanding why women should not be denied abortions. After all, they know their situation

better than anyone. If they know they do not have the resources or funds to care for another life,

why would anyone want the mother and a new child to suffer? A lot goes into caring for a new

baby; women also have themselves and possibly other children to care for. If a woman seeking

an abortion is denied and has existing children, the consequences do not fall on the mother alone

but on her other children. Existing mothers may not have the means to care for another child,

meaning abortion is the most logical option. A study shows that existing children of women

denied abortions had lower mean child development scores and were more likely to live under

the Federal Poverty Level (Foster et al.). Denial of abortion can contribute to the cycle of

poverty for many women and children born as a result of unwanted pregnancy will experience

this same poverty level. The overturning of Roe v. Wade will drastically impact low-income and

under-resourced communities exacerbating the social and economic issues already experienced

by these women.
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Abortion is a sensitive topic for those who have lived through one and those who have

not. Many people do not see any justification for abortion, but in cases of rape and incest, there

should be exemptions. Many against abortions believe there should be no exceptions, and some

say a child conceived in rape is still a child. In eleven of the fifty states, there are no exceptions

for abortion regarding rape and incest. Some argue that exemptions are loopholes to getting an

abortion. However, getting an abortion is not made easier when rape and incest are the reason

behind it. Rape is a violent and personal act that can be carried with the victim for years after the

assault. There are many cases of young girls who are victims having to travel outside state lines

to obtain an abortion. These restrictive laws will have a lasting impact on many women. Having

already gone through something incredibly traumatic, they are forced to either carry to term or

travel states away to get the care they need. Some states, like Utah, have requirements, such as

making victims of sexual assault file a police report before they can get an abortion. Physicians

can face up to fifteen years in prison if they perform an abortion without verifying if a victim has

gone to the police. This country has a severe disconnect regarding right and wrong and deciding

what should be banned. Abortion restrictions have severe effects, especially on young people

who have been violated. The number of obstacles that people seeking abortions go through is

horrific, and having to prove that a case involves a victim of rape or incest before having the

right to an abortion is disgusting. The Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has left

victims of rape and incest unable to fight for themselves.

In any argument, it is essential to address the other side. An article written by feminists

against abortion that argues against abortion states, “In all its forms, abortion has masked–rather

than solved–the problems women face. Abortion is a failed experiment on women. Why

celebrate failure?” This article also argues that abortion is an “easy” way out for women, and the
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focus should be on the needs of women and exploring ways to support struggling individuals

through their pregnancy and after the fact. The same article states, “when a woman destroys the

life of her unborn child, it is an evidence that either by education or circumstances she has been

dramatically wronged.” Though the primary goal of these feminists is to bring light to the fact

that mothers are often left struggling after having an unintended pregnancy, it is crucial to

understand that along with this, there are many adverse effects. An article like this one brings

shame and negative connotations to women who have received abortions and those who are

considering abortions. Women who seek to terminate their pregnancy are labeled as inferior to

these specific ideals of womanhood. Anti-abortion causes often overlook and humiliate the

expecting mother and focus on “defending the unborn.” Anti-abortion debates that other women

argue are often confusing and give a sense of personhood to the fetus, eradicating the

dependency on the mother. Restrictive abortion laws take away rights from women.

Realistically, it is a battle that involves tearing women down. It is awful to watch it unfold.

The decision to overturn Roe v. Wade came as a shock to the majority of people in the

United States. The Supreme Court has overstepped its jurisdiction, affecting women nationwide.

Now that states can decide whether or not abortion is legal individually, it is pivotal to

understand the negativity this will bring to the country. Women nationwide are left defenseless

regarding their rights over their bodies. Abortion bans can increase illegal and unsafe abortions,

harming women’s health due to restrictive access in several states. These bans will also

disproportionately affect women of color, exacerbating existing problems, such as an increased

lack of healthcare, transportation, and financial resources. The Supreme Court made a hasty

decision, which will also affect young girls and women seeking abortions due to rape and incest.

With many states seeing no reason for exemptions, it paves the way for girls to misunderstand
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the rights and wrongs of life. Forcing children to have children is no way a country should be

run. Criminalizing physicians for doing their jobs and protecting women is a horrific reality in

the post-Roe world. The aftermath of SCOTUS’ decision to overturn Roe v. Wade should make

people wonder where the line is drawn. This decision is only the beginning of what the leaders of

this country are capable of, and that is a scary reality.

Resource Page

Anand, A. ( 1 ), Gupta, A. ( 1 ), Yadav, P. ( 2 ), & Rijal, P. ( 2 ). (2022). Suspected illegal

abortion and unsafe abortion leading to uterine rupture and incomplete abortion: A case

report. Annals of Medicine and Surgery, 84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amsu.2022.104933

Artiga, S., Hill, L., Ranji , U., & Gomez, I. (2022, July 15). What are the Implications of the

Overturning of Roe v. Wade for Racial Disparities? Retrieved April 7, 2023, from

https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/what-are-the-

implications-of-the-overturning-of-roe-v-wade-for-racial-disparities/#:~:text=Variation

%20in%20the%20availability%20of,access%20to%20coverage%20of%20abortions.

Chen S, Gu X, Qi L, Qi Q, Zhou J, Wang L. Reflections on abortion rights: From policy to

medicine. Biosci Trends. 2022 Dec 26;16(6):455-458. doi: 10.5582/bst.2022.01354.

Epub 2022 Nov 29. PMID: 36450578.

Coen-Sanchez, K., Ebenso, B., El-Mowafi, I.M. et al. Repercussions of overturning Roe v. Wade

for women across systems and beyond borders. Reprod Health 19, 184 (2022).

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-022-01490-y

Durkee, A. (2022). Ohio Man Charged With Raping 10-Year-Old Girl Who Was Denied

Abortion. Forbes.Com, N.PAG.

Foster DG, Biggs MA, Ralph L, Gerdts C, Roberts S, Glymour MM. Socioeconomic Outcomes

of Women Who Receive and Women Who Are Denied Wanted Abortions in the United

States. Am J Public Health. 2018 Mar;108(3):407-413. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2017.304247.

Epub 2018 Jan 18. PMID: 29345993; PMCID: PMC5803812.

Foster DG, Raifman SE, Gipson JD, Rocca CH, Biggs MA. Effects of Carrying an Unwanted

Pregnancy to Term on Women's Existing Children. J Pediatr. 2019 Feb;205:183-189.e1.

doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.09.026. Epub 2018 Oct 30. PMID: 30389101.

Foster, S. M. (2015). The feminist case against abortion: recovering the pro-life roots of the

women’s movement. America, 212(2), 14–18.

Haddad, L. B., & Nour, N. M. (2009, April 17). Unsafe Abortion: Unnecessary Maternal

Mortality. Retrieved April 9, 2023, from

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2709326/