Both personally and politically, I am anti-abortion. I think it's possible to look after the life of both the mother and the child. If the mother has a maternal issue, it should be an exception. You can't force someone to give a birth that can't be given. If the mother did not consent - in the case of rape/incest, her pregnancy was not her responsibility. The child, because they should not be deprived of life, liberty, and prosperity.
However, I don't approve of abortion on demand. I think you can be compassionate for the woman without supporting what she is doing. One of my fiance's friends recently had one done, which is disappointing, but I don't hate her for it. What I can't be compassionate for is the act. Why should we be compassionate for apathy? Legalized abortion hasn't worked since 1973, 1.5 million innocent lives a year is far too many to waste. These children are supposed to be the future, and to think, you could be killing the person who could cure cancer.
I believe that legalized abortion has caused us to undermine our moral standards, and I also believe that since we made it legal, we have encouraged abortions to take place. As far as it being the government's business, if there is enough public outcry against it, we should be concerned about it. It is not a myth that many women come to regret their abortions. While raging feminists will tell you that abortion "increases your self-esteem", they are dismissed by any credible source.
If you want a real set of facts, here they are:
http://www.pscstark.com/pregnancyinfo/abortionfacts.html
Abortion Facts
Scientific and Medical Facts
Every human life begins at conception - "In biology and medicine, it is an accepted fact that the life of any individual organism reproducing by sexual reproduction begins at conception, or fertilization". (Dr. Micheline M. Matthews Roth, Principal Research Associate, Harvard Medical School).
The developing pre-born child is not part of the mother's body! The pre-born child is a separate living being with a separate genetic make-up and a separate blood system from the mother - "The individuality of the unborn baby is established at conception. It is genetically related to its parents, but it is also very different...the 23 chromosomes each parent contributes to the baby can be rearranged in 8,388,608 different ways to produce the 46 chromosome complement of the new individual. There are more than 8 million ways in which the baby might differ from his/her parents". (Dr. Hymie Gordon, Professor and Chairman, Department of Medical Genetics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN).
Abortion is a surgical procedure. Like all such procedures, abortion has certain associated risks. Abortion can result in:
Damaged cervix - may lead to bleeding, miscarriage, and/or premature births in later pregnancies.
Perforation of the uterus - results in internal bleeding, which may lead to death.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) - infection leading to fever and infertility - common and serious complications reported in up to 30% of all cases.
Ectopic pregnancy (pregnancies outside the womb) - risk is double for women who have had one abortion, and up to four times for women with two or more previous abortions.
Breast cancer - women who abort a pregnancy during the first trimester may have twice the risk of developing breast cancer; the risk is higher in women who have had multiple abortions. (Abortion Industry Monitor).
Infertility.
Low birth weight babies/premature births in later pregnancies.
Infection and bleeding.
Potential death to the mother - between 1972 and 1980, 164 women died from legal abortion.
Abortion is the only medical/surgical procedure in which parental knowledge or consent for a minor is not required, it is also the only procedure in which the physician is not legally required to inform the patient of all possible risks and side effects.
Abortion - Psychological Facts
Abortion is identified by the American Psychiatric Association as a "psychosocial stressor." It is highly unlikely that a woman will be able to know before an abortion how she will deal emotionally with this "psychosocial stressor" after the abortion is over. Therefore, abortion carries with it certain risks to the mental health of women.
Many women have experienced "post-abortion trauma" and post-abortion depression" following their abortions. Some of the most common symptoms of these two syndromes are:
Guilt
Depression
Anger
Nightmares
Withdrawal
Regret and remorse
A sense of loss, grief, emptiness
Feelings of dehumanization/low self-esteem
Self-destructive behavior - drugs and alcohol
Preoccupation with "would be" due date of birth
Inability to forgive self and others
You may want to know - Abortion affects men as well as women.
Abortion diminishes the process of procreation, and the "bond" between a man and a woman.
Abortion alters one's value of life and may conflict with his moral and spiritual values.
Guilt, fear, anger, or anxiety from abortion may affect his ability to trust others.
Unresolved psychological effects from abortion may affect future relationships in the roles of husband and/or father.