Should India legalise abortion in India?

Should India legalise abortion in India?

Whether India should legalise abortion is a highly debated topic. Both abortions and anti-abortionists have their arguments. Abortion is the termination of an embryo or fetus inside the uterus before it is viable. This can be performed either medically or surgically, with surgical methods being more invasive but providing faster results. Abortion legality varies by country with most allowing it only in specific circumstances, while others not allowing it in any instance.

Argument in favour of legalisation of abortion in India

Bodily sovereignty: A woman’s right to bodily integrity is essential for her overall well-being. The mere fact that a woman decides not to continue with a pregnancy is not a proof of mental illness. What is important here is what makes her choice acceptable.

Self-determination: The second important argument is of self-determination. All women should have the right to determine their life choices regardless of their socio-economic status or caste and creed.

Safeguarding life: Abortion is the termination of an unwanted pregnancy by artificial or natural methods. It is done to safeguard life, especially when the mother’s life is in danger. Abortion could be carried out for a number of reasons like rape, incest, and bearing an abnormal child.

Prevent abandoning of child: This process of abortion is done by a medical expert in the case where, the unborn child has malformation or abnormalities. A woman may be in an unstable health condition or may not have enough stamina to carry the pregnancy at the endpoint. The doctor diagnoses and examines any fetal abnormality and informs the parents about all odds that occur in carrying out pregnancy and childbirth.

Right to choose: The right to choose whether to continue her pregnancy or terminate it is the most controversial issue that affects women. It deals with a woman’s reproductive rights.

Mother’s life: A woman's right over her body, has always been a question. Legal procedures have often hindered in permitting abortion, resulting in the death of a mother or the foetus. Despite the latest techno-medical advances, the laws have remained stagnant or rather restrictive, complicated further by selective female foetus abortions. 

Reproductive rights: A women’s right to reproductive choices, including the decision to abort or not, has gained legal recognition from the Supreme Court.

Argument against legalisation of abortion in India:

Unsafe: Unsafe abortion is a leading cause of maternal mortality in India. The term “Unsafe abortion” is used to describe induced abortion performed under unsafe conditions, without the "necessary skills and resources to ensure a safe abortion", or by an individual lacking adequate knowledge or experience of the procedure.

Female foeticide: Female foeticide is a procedure in which the unborn baby girl is aborted by the parents because it is thought to bring bad luck. Many families prefer not to have a daughter, who might face discrimination in India.

Unethical: Abortion is morally wrong because it deprives the foetus of a valuable future. In a way it snatch growing foetus’ right to life and liberty. It is also unethical because it involves a mother in an act that may deprive her of health and happiness. With these objections of abortion, it's clear from my point of view that abortion should never be allowed by law.

Damages women: Abortion can damage the long-term physical and emotional health of women who have an abortion. Women who have undergone an abortion are significantly more likely to suffer from depression, suicidal thoughts, drug abuse, and alcohol abuse compared to other women.

Women atrocities: Legalizing abortion in India is not the solution to deal with the increasing population. The root cause lies in born-a-male-biased sex selection, an inhuman practice that prevailed in many Asian countries including India and China. Legalising abortion may lead to forceful abortion by the husband or family of husband in want of dowry or son.