The Abortion Debate - The Prolife and Prochoice Debates

Since time immemorial, abortion has been a highly contentious issue. Proponents of abortion, also known as pro-lifers, affirm that a woman is solely responsible to make decisions about her body and reproductive health. Therefore, if they believe that they do not have the physical, mental or financial capacity to have a baby, they are well within their right to terminate the pregnancy. Opponents of abortion, otherwise referred to as being pro-choice, believe that life begins at conception. Thus, aborting a zygote or fetus amounts to murder since life has already been formed. This paper examines each side's beliefs to determine the beliefs and reasoning behind them.