A red hot topic all around the world, but also in Malta, is whether abortion should be legalised in some way or form. This has long divided opinion in the country, especially now that even doctors are weighing in on the row with an ensuing tug-of-war between the Doctors for Life and the Doctors for Choice.
Even though both groups have completely different ideologies, the common factor is that both parties are fighting in favour of life: either supporting the life of the baby/foetus or supporting the life of the mother.
Firstly, to address the elephant in the room, the killing of unborn life is not something that should be taken lightly and, therefore, must be discussed with the seriousness and gravity it deserves.
The problem with abortion is that it is a sticky subject with a no-win situation but the arguments of both pro-life and pro-choice groups can be understood.
The main argument of the pro-life or anti-abortion groups is that no situation justifies humans playing god and deciding who lives and who dies. Every life should be given equal importance and no life is worth sacrificing as the killing of a human being is, in essence, murder.
Pro-life people argue that life begins at conception and, therefore, unborn children are human beings with a right to live.
They have their own genetic code and an entire life ahead and no person should act as judge, jury, and executioner on a person’s life.
Abortion should also not be used as a form of contraceptive because, other than killing a baby, it might also lead to future dire consequences on the mother’s mental health. Furthermore, if a child is not wanted by the mother (and/or father), one can give the newborn up for adoption without depriving him/her of life.
In contrast, pro-choice activists insist on the mother’s right to choose what she does with her own body. They argue that, in most cases, abortion is a fork-in-the-road moment and not a snap decision made without actively looking at the weighty consequences that might arise.
The legalisation of abortion gives reproductive choices by giving women control over their bodies and without having to go through an arduous nine-month period of unwanted pregnancy, given the physical and mental changes a woman’s body goes through during this timeframe.
Even though pro-life groups argue that adoption is a viable way to save a human being’s life, especially if the mother has trouble raising the child either because of an unwanted pregnancy or due to financial difficulties, pro-choice activists say this might lead to potential attachment disorders both affecting the mother and the child.
No situation justifies humans playing god and deciding who lives and who dies
Some pro-choice people maintain that a foetus becomes a source of life when s/he is able to live on his/her own and not at conception. Furthermore, some also suggest that abortion should be legal within a specific period (during the first trimester) when a foetus is not fully developed.
Although some women do turn to abortion because of their unwillingness to raise a child for some reason or other, it is important to note that, for others, resorting to abortion is akin to sawing off a chained hand.
It is possible that, despite being financially disadvantaged, some women might still seek access to abortion, even though this might be unsafe and might risk bodily harm. In fairness, it might be just to point out that some people who are well-off do seek abortion at safe clinics.
Furthermore, especially in cases where the mother’s health is in peril, it is unjust to give these women a death sentence in a bid to save the child’s life because, in this case, we are, once again, choosing who lives and who dies.
That said, Doctors for Life have said that, in such cases, abortion is never necessary because, normally, an induced delivery of the baby takes places. The doctors said that even though the chances of the baby living in such a scenario might be slim, it is still crucial to fight for the baby’s life.
Legalisation on abortion is definitely a difficult topic and the introduction of abortion in Malta is, without doubt, a double-edged sword.
Still, it seems harsh to police women’s bodies and weigh someone with the burden of an unwanted pregnancy because, after all, it is the woman’s body that will have to carry the responsibility of the unborn child for nine months and it seems a bit tyrannical to make women go through unwanted pregnancies.
Neil Attard is a fourth-year University student reading for a degree in communication studies and psychology.
This is a Times of Malta print opinion piece