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Amberly Green

Ms. Lisa Huff

AP English Language

December 14, 2007

Abortion versus Adoption

Murder, gruesome death. Blameless, young infant. These terms do not belong

together, but sadly, every twenty-two seconds, a baby dies from abortion (Just). The

Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 legalized that a woman, along with her doctor, could

choose abortion in earlier months of pregnancy without restriction, and with limitations in

later months. Unexpected pregnancies commonly end in a termination of life. Scared

and confused, new mothers assume that an abortion is the only option. Women, who

are considering abortion for personal reasons, should instead choose adoption.

Adoption is the second choice, as well as the better choice.

Above all, abortion is morally wrong. Throughout weeks one to four of the

pregnancy alone, the foundation of the nervous system forms as well as the heart and

circulatory system. After only a month of pregnancy, a baby has the basis for thought,

senses, and feeling. Though still in the beginning stages of life, this very life support

system is what will carry the baby throughout his life (Fetal). Because life begins at

conception, aborting a child is equal to murder. Aborted children have done no wrong,

so there is no reasonable explanation to punish these children with death. In Exodus

20:13, God commands all people not to murder (Holy Bible, Exodus 20.13). Just as the

Israelites of the Old Testament followed this command, the Gentiles of this generation

must also abide by this law. This commandment, along with others, has not changed
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throughout time; Christians must live by the same law today. Supporters of abortion

validate their beliefs by claiming that because the child is still in the womb and is not

fully developed, the fetus is not harmed. As previously noted, an embryo begins to grow

and develop the moment after conception. Aborting immediately stops this process and

consequently kills a young and helpless life. Illegitimate or unplanned children should

not receive punishment for their parent’s lack of responsibility. Anyone with a good

moral upbringing knows that he must take full responsibility of his own actions. Rape

victims, on the other hand, have done nothing wrong. These women do not wish to

suffer through a long pregnancy, either. Do these women have a right to terminate their

baby’s life? No. Jeremiah 29:11 states, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares

the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a

future” (Holy Bible, Jeremiah 29.11). Neither rape nor a child formed from rape is a

mistake. Both the mother’s and the child’s life are in God’s control. God had intricately

planned everyone’s life, and a person’s mistakes will not interfere with that. A human life

is at risk! Mothers and doctors cannot take this situation lightly by quickly resorting to an

abortion.

Furthermore, abortion is unnecessary when other options are available. Adoption

is a practical alternative to abortion. All across the world there are adoption agencies

who precisely match children with suitable families. Adoption agencies are reliable and

provide for the needs of the children brought to them. American Adoptions is a private

adoption agency established on the principle that lives of children can change for the

better through adoption. Their website is full of touching testimonials shared by birth

mothers who chose adoption. One of the mothers, Carol Ann, was pregnant while
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involved in an abusive marriage. Clearly, Carol’s life would continue to spin downhill

unless she took immediate action. Carol Ann desperately wanted to turn her life around.

With her unborn baby, Carol decided to leave her life behind her forever and to give her

child to another family. Carol is self-assured in the decision she made because she

knows she saved a life. This website holds over fifty stories such as these, all filled with

birth mothers claiming the confidence they have in their decision. “When the decision is

right and true,” writes Carol Ann, “no regret will ever shadow the days in which the child

is with another.” Many families are on waiting lists, hoping everyday to receive a call

explaining that there is a child waiting for them. A pole conducted by the Dayton Right to

Life Society states that the 2,000,000 couples ready and waiting to adopt in the United

Sates severely overwhelm the 50,000 babies placed for adoption each year (Just). If all

abortions ceased, the number of families wanting to adopt would drop drastically and

these numbers would even out. Women commonly want to adopt because they are

unable to have children of their own. As a woman, one of the most highly respected and

rewarding experiences of her life is giving birth. When women are barren, they are likely

to be depressed because they feel God has not blessed them. By putting a child up for

adoption, it not only saves a child’s life, but also gives a woman or a family a child to call

their own. The gift of life is the most precious gift of all.

Additionally, aborting for personal reasons is selfish. Personal motives are the

driving force in ninety percent of abortions (Robinson). Why? A frequent find among

teenage pregnancies is the fact that after a wild Saturday night, teens’ embarrassment

prevents the confession of their mistakes. A recent pole confirms that every year, among

the one million American teenagers who become pregnant, 78% of these pregnancies
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are unintentional. Of this 78%, about 35% choose to have an abortion (Dudley). These

teenagers should learn that in life, people must learn to live with the decisions they

make. These girls obviously were not embarrassed to sleep with a man who is not their

husband. Teens supporting abortion claim that they are simply not ready for the

responsibility of raising a child. If girls believe they are mature enough to have sex, then

the girls had better believe they are mature enough to handle the responsibilities of

raising a child. What many girls call a “mature” step in a relationship requires an equally

mature and selfless response to the sudden shock of pregnancy. In non-adulterous

relationships, women claim to be too busy, or they say that it is not the right time in their

life, or they argue that their life would be altered too much if they were to mother a child

(Robinson). The petty complaints from women are endless. Get over it! How altered

would a child’s life be if he were dead? After the fall of man, God said to Eve, “I will

greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children” (Holy

Bible, Genesis 3.16). Women suffer in childbirth because of man’s sinful nature. Women

should endure through the pain of childbirth as punishment, and then let another loving,

responsible family raise the child. Carol Ann, the mother quoted in the preceding

paragraph writes, “It is the most selfless and beautiful gift to give to another and to such

an innocent child.” There is no justification that the choice of an abortion is right.

Abortion must no longer be an accepted alternative. Women would rather avoid

these touchy subjects and proceed with their abortion. However, the facts bluntly state

that there is no denial of the brutality of abortion. Women must accept responsibility,

honor their child’s life, and proceed with the pregnancy. If being a mother is no option,

adoption.