Introduction Abortion is one of the most debatable and controversial issues that exist today in our society. There are people who support the idea that it should be a choice of each and every woman – whether to do it or not, while others claim that no one has a power to decide, whether to bring life on the planet, or put an end to it. (writings) I believe that there is no other option than to choose life. 1. ) In my opinion many women are very unaware of how fast a baby develops. A. ) At three weeks the heart begins to beat with the child's own blood and the backbone spinal column and nervous system are forming.

Also liver, kidneys and intestines begin to take shape. B. ) By week five eyes, legs, and hands begin to develop. C. ) By eight week the baby can begin to hear and every organ is in place, bones begin to replace cartilage, and fingerprints begin to form. D. ) At week twelve the baby has all of the parts necessary to experience pain, including nerves, spinal cord, and thalamus. Vocal cords are complete and the baby can suck its thumb. E. ) By twenty weeks the baby recognizes its' mothers voice and you can tell the sex. (Development) 2. Most women facing an unplanned pregnancy who opt for an abortion do so early on; just over 61% take place in the first 8 weeks of pregnancy, and 88% occur in the first trimester, before the 13th week of pregnancy. Only 10% of abortions occur in the second trimester, between the 13th and 20th weeks of pregnancy. (Lowen) A. ) There are two different types of abortions: Surgical abortions and Medical Abortions. a. As the name suggests, medical abortions do not involve surgery or other invasive methods but rely on medications to end pregnancy. Lowen) i. A medical abortion involves taking the drug mifepristone; often called 'the abortion pill,' its generic name is RU-486 and its brand name is Mifeprex. Mifepristone is not available over the counter and must be provided by a health care professional. A woman seeking a medical abortion can obtain one through a doctor's office or clinic and should expect two or more visits to complete the process, as another drug, misoprostol, must be taken to terminate the pregnancy. (Lowen) b.

All surgical abortions are medical procedures that must be done in a health care provider's office or clinic. There are several different surgical abortion options. ii. Aspiration is an abortion procedure that can be performed on a woman up to 16 weeks after her last period. Aspiration, also known as vacuum aspiration, suction aspiration or D&A (dilation and aspiration), involves the insertion of a tube through the dilated cervix into the uterus. Gentle suction removes fetal tissue and empties the uterus. iii.

In some circumstances, a spoon-shaped instrument called a curette is used to scrape the uterine lining to remove any remaining tissue. This procedure is called a D&C (dilation and curettage. ) iv. Dilation and evacuation (D&E) is typically performed during the second trimester (between the 13th and 24th week of pregnancy. ) Similar to a D&C, a D&E involves other instruments (such as forceps) along with suction to empty the uterus. In later second-trimester abortions, a shot administered through the abdomen may be necessary to ensure fetal demise before the D&E begins. Lowen) Conclusion All in all I believe that medical and/or surgical abortions should be illegal. I don’t believe anything can justify an abortion, because you are intentionally ending a human life. Works Cited Development, Fetal. http://www. nrlc. org/abortion/facts/fetaldevelopment. html. n. d. Lowen, Linda. http://womensissues. about. com/od/reproductiverights/a/AbortionTypes. htm. n. d. writings, Paper. http://www. paperwritings. com/free-examples/persuasive-speech-on-abortion. html. n. d.