Unit Twenty-seven: Abortion

1. What do you think about abortion? Why do some people support it and others are against it? 2. Do you think abortion is a crime?

3. Should any woman consider abortion?

4. In what cases do you think abortion is acceptable?

5. When do you think abortion is unacceptable?

6. Why is it that some people stand firm against abortion?

7. Is abortion legal or illegal in your country?

8. According to your religion is abortion permitted or not?

9. At what point do you think that we can call a fetus a "human being":At conception; at some point during pregnancy; at birth?

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 1

Unit Twenty-seven: Abortion

10.Where do you stand on the question of abortion? Which of these statements do you agree with most? Can you explain why you hold this view? a. It's the mother's body and it's her choice. b. Society should set xx weeks or months as the time limit for abortions. c. Abortion should only be allowed under certain circumstances. d. Abortion is murder and should not be carried out under any circumstances.

11.Some "pro life" campaigners deny abortion even in cases of rape, or where the mother's life would be in danger. What is your opinion?

12.In countries where abortion is illegal many women die as a consequence of illegal abortions. If abortion were made illegal in more countries, then more women would die. Is this a valid argument in favor of making abortion legal? Why/why not?

13.If a young teenage girl becomes pregnant and asks her doctor for an abortion - should the doctor have an obligation to tell her parents?

14.If you were the parent of a young teenage girl who became pregnant - what advice would you give her? Would you advise her to abort the baby?

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 2

Unit Twenty-seven: Abortion

15.Which is the best way to reduce the number of unwanted teenage pregnancies a) Give all children a strict religious upbringing. b) Improve health and sex education. c) Provide young people with free, or very cheap, contraception.

16.What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of legalizing abortion?

17.What is the role of the father during an unplanned/ unwanted pregnancy? Does he have a say?

18.Why do you think most religions and religious institutes are against abortion?

19.What motivates pro-choice activists to think and act as they do?

20.What is more important the right to life of the fetus or the right to liberty of the woman? Where is the line between the two fundamental rights? 21.Is performing abortion in developing countries on the increase or not? Why/ why not?

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 3

Unit Twenty-seven: Abortion

Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy before birth.

No religion or group should impose its position on the rest of the nation.

As long as the Catholic Church, or any faith, continues to block legislation allowing individual conscience and free choice in abortion, the core of our democratic system is crippled.

The right to abortion is to guarantee that every child comes into this world wanted, loved, and cared for.

The struggle to abolish legal restrictions on access to abortion

No law is a real law that prohibits the inalienable rights of human beings.

Abortion is the most bitterly contested civil rights issue of our time.

A concern to end back-alley/ backstreet abortions, because they harm women

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 4

Unit Twenty-seven: Abortion

A concern to abolish laws which restrict access to abortion, because they are a product of the tyrannical imposition of the moral beliefs of some citizens on others

Anti-abortion laws result in a diminishment of a woman's freedom to make decisions about the course which her life will take.

Women who are suffering the after-effects of botched abortions

Before Roe v. Wade hospital abortion committees were used to rubber-stamp requests for "therapeutic" abortions.

An abortion clinic

Many people have doubts about the morality of unrestricted access to abortion.

Many physicians have expressed growing doubts about the ethical legitimacy of the pro-choice cause.

Those who champion the pro-choice cause claim that

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 5

Unit Twenty-seven: Abortion

Pro-life activists claim that human life exists within the womb from the very onset of pregnancy.

Electrocardiographic evidence of heart function has been established in embryos as early as six weeks.

A child born two months before full term (=of pregnancy)

Since the vast majority of pregnancies are carried successfully to term, abortion must be seen as the interruption of a process that would otherwise have produced a citizen of the world.

The deliberate taking of life, even of a special order and under special circumstances, is an inexpressibly serious matter.

Abortion is the deliberate killing of the weakest and most defenseless among us.

Many people are fervent supporters of abortion.

Induced abortion is one of todays most intense and polarizing ethical and philosophical issues.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 6

Unit Twenty-seven: Abortion

Modern medical techniques have made induced abortions simpler and less dangerous. In the United States, the debate over abortion has led to legal battles in the courts, in the Congress of the United States, and state legislatures. The social and ethical issues surrounding abortion Abortion has become one of the most widely debated ethical issues of our time. On one side are pro-choice supportersindividuals who favor a womans reproductive rights, including the right to choose to have an abortion.

On the other side are the pro-life advocates, who may oppose abortion for any reason or who may only accept abortion in extreme circumstances, as when the mothers life would be threatened by carrying a pregnancy to term. At one end of this ethical spectrum are pro-choice defenders who believe the fetus is only a potential human being when it becomes viable, that is, able to survive outside its mothers womb. At the other end of the spectrum are pro-life supporters who believe the fetus is a human being from the time of conception.

The fetus has the legal right to life from the moment the egg and sperm unite.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 7

Unit Twenty-seven: Abortion

Between these positions lies a continuum of ethical, religious, and political positions. The most vocal pro-choice and pro-life champions have radically different views. A variety of ethical arguments have been made on both sides of the abortion issue. The point during pregnancy when a fetus becomes viable has changed over the years as medical advances have made it possible to keep a premature baby alive at an earlier stage. The current definition of viability is generally accepted at about 24 weeks gestation. For many people, the lines between pro-choice and pro-life are blurred and the issue is far less polarized. In the United States, the legalization of abortion began in 1966 when Mississippi passed a law permitting abortion in cases of rape. In early 1973 the Supreme Court of the United States decided two cases, Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, that effectively legalized abortion for any reason before the 24th week of pregnancy, the point when the fetus becomes viable. The law allowed individual states to enact laws restricting abortion after viability, except in cases when abortion is necessary to preserve the life or health of the woman.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 8

Unit Twenty-seven: Abortion

In 1976 the Supreme Court recognized the right of pregnant girls under the age of 18, known as mature minors, to have abortions. Advocates/ Supporters/ Champions/ Proponents of abortion argue/ contend/ maintain/ claim/ insist that

Opponents of abortion argue that

It is frequently argued that

I am strongly opposed to abortion due to

In the United States, there has been an evolving debate as to whether or not abortion should be legalized.

Saying that performing abortion equals murder is a tenuous/ spurious/ weak/ specious/ fallacious/ bogus/ ridiculous argument.

Abortion is often opposed on the grounds that

Another argument against abortion is

It is indisputable/ undeniable/ incontrovertible/ unquestionable/ unarguable/ incontestable/ indubitable that

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 9

Unit Twenty-seven: Abortion

Whether or not abortion should be made legal is a moot point/question.

One of the biggest arguments against abortion is that

The overall benefits of the legalization of abortion outweigh the costs.

Critics of abortion argue in part that

One of the important factors contributing to the increase in illegal abortion in third world countries is

Some people are of the opinion that

There is widespread concern about the increase in teenage pregnancies.

There is a rising anxiety/growing concern about the increase in teenage pregnancies.

The candidates agreed to avoid controversial issues like abortion and child abuse.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 10

Unit Twenty-seven: Abortion

The Church has been criticized for being intransigent on the issues of abortion and birth control.

Sbs position on abortion

Sbs stance/stand on abortion

Take an unequivocal stance against abortion

The existential threat of Islamic terrorism trumps domestic social issues like abortion and gay marriage.

In 1973 Roe v. Wade dramatically altered the abortion options of most American women.

She decided to have an abortion.

Anti-abortion campaigners

Last year Dr Travis publicly attacked the idea that abortion should be available on demand.

a backstreet abortion
By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 11

Unit Twenty-seven: Abortion

The Republican agenda included a constitutional ban on abortion.

Issues such as abortion arouse strong emotions.

Abortion is a very emotional issue.

Jones is urging Christians to stand firm against abortion.

Abortions would only be allowed in cases of rape or incest.

Abortion has become the subject of intense debate.

Abortion is a highly controversial issue.

a discussion on the morality of abortion

Abortion is a highly politicized issue.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 12

Unit Twenty-seven: Abortion

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 13