Draft.

----Introduction to come after paper is completed
----History of abortion + legislation passed + prolife vs. prochoice
According to the website Abortion: Some Medical Facts a definition of abortion is the ending of “a pregnancy by destroying and removing the developing child.” I feel it is a necessary obligation to press the rights for all those developing, unborn children. Respectively, I understand that every woman has a different story, a diverse collection of memories that create her unique identity as a woman. But then again, mine is far from glamorous and was far from a facile walk in the park. This experience through which I battled, I feel, provides me with credibility on the subject of the choice of abortion and the matters that relate to the subject.
August 2007 would be the framed photograph soaked with thousands of words floating behind the delicate glass capturing what I thought to be the “highlight” of my summer. I was nearly days away from starting my senior year which is supposed to be the best year of high school. Being on top, closing in on the finish line called graduation is certainly a big deal for any senior. I was enjoying myself thoroughly; hitting up the beach and soaking up the sun was prime, a blur of memories. I was on top of the world until one day. Thinking it was just another gorgeous day, I learned of something that would alter me as a person and a woman for the rest of my life. That little pink plus sign on the most technical stick ever invented seemed to laugh in my face, mocking me and my high hopes for the next few months, years, and the rest of my life… It was unbelievable news and something I was not prepared for; something no 17 year old can prepare for. I was pregnant by someone who I didn’t care for whatsoever and had no idea where to go, who to tell, or what on Earth to do. At 17 I knew I would be strangely looked at, mostly with disapproving eyes. For about the first couple weeks I was determined to make it through and keep my baby. He was mine and now that I look back it was a thought that was irrational, poorly chosen, and completely inane. Abortion, of course, crossed my mind, despite the fact that I believe it to be wrong. The underlying reason behind it was my utter desperation to keep the disappointment from hitting my parents’ faces. I didn’t know how to tell them. Full of helplessness, I was at a dead end road. I was raised in a family that taught “sex after marriage,” so this news would be an unexpected and a huge shock for my family, one that I didn’t think I was prepared to deal with. Looking back, I was selfish in feeling that way. I was thinking only of myself and how I would be punished or what would happen to me. The notion of my child’s life, heartbeat, mind, and soul was not in my head.
In our present times, with the subject of abortion at hand, people only discuss why the abortion option has been chosen, in other words, the social aspect of it. Majority of women who plan on getting an abortion or support the idea of abortion are not educated in the medical aspect of this issue. Altogether, there are ten main procedures that can be done to end the life of a human fetus. Because of the Supreme Court cases in 1973, Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, abortion at any point in pregnancy was made legal in all 50 states; meaning that even a woman carrying a full-term baby can choose to have an abortion.
During the first trimester (1-13 weeks) there are four operations a woman can undergo. The first, Suction Aspiration, is used in most cases. Through the dilated cervix of the pregnant woman, a suction tube with a sharp edge is inserted dismembering the appendages of the baby and because of this violent disruption in the womb the placenta is ripped from the wall of the uterus. The pieces of the body, amniotic fluid, placenta, and blood are all sucked out. The risks involved with this process include injuring the woman’s uterus leading, at times, to hemorrhaging. Also, if there is any left over fetal or placenta tissue, infection can be looming ahead. Dilatation and Curettage is the second procedure possible. The abortionist inserts a looped steel knife into the dilated cervix, cutting up the baby and scraping the placenta off of the uterus. Damaging of the uterus, infection, and high amounts of blood loss are possible problems with this tactic. Along with physically removing the baby, there is a pill available to woman seeking abortion as well. It is called RU 486. This drug induces abortion chemically by blocking the natural hormone called progesterone, which maintains the lining of the uterus that supplies necessary nutrients to the baby. Ultimately, the baby starves to death because the lining shrivels and disintegrates. However, “easy” this may sound it comes with a possible price to the woman. Extremely severe bleeding has been documented in many cases (some up to 44 days) along with nausea, pain, diarrhea, and death in some. How many women actually know of these dangerous side-effects? Another drug available during the first trimester is called Methotrexate. This ends the life of the fetus by disintegrating the uterus lining by attacking the trophoblast (produces the human chorionic gonadotropin which controls the production of progesterone). In this process the baby is once again starved because the essential nutrients the baby needs are withheld from it. The four above methods of abortion are very gruesome and sad. Not everyone agrees, but after researching the specific ways abortion is carried out, I find it to be appalling. I feel if more women knew exactly what they were doing to their bodies and the little one inside of them, they would think twice about choosing abortion.
The second trimester also has multiple options for abortion. Again, high risks are involved in all of them. Dilatation and Evacuation is similar to the Dilatation and Curettage process used in the first trimester. However, at this point in the pregnancy the baby is larger and much more developed. The abortionist uses sharp forceps to dismember the baby and then takes the head of the child and crushes the skull so it can be removed from the womb. This procedure could cause cuts and perforations to the cervix due to the bones in the head. Heavy bleeding occurs in all cases. Saline amniocentesis can also be used. The expecting woman is injected, in the abdomen, with a needle that extracts a large portion of the amniotic and then replaces that fluid with high concentrated solution of salt. Literally this poisons the baby along with deterioration of its skin through painful burning. At this point the baby dies but needs to come out of the mother so labor is induced and a burned, withered, and limp baby is delivered. The saline solution can be extremely harmful to the mother by causing “uncontrolled blood clotting throughout the body” (Abortion: Some Medical Facts) which can harm her central nervous system as well. If the solution unintentionally enters the vascular system seizures, coma, and/or death can be serious and very possible outcomes. With risks of nausea, cervical damage, and endometriosis Urea is another option similar to a saline injection. Because the solution is not as strong, other drugs are needed to succeed in the abortion. Finally, the chemical method that uses Prostaglandins (chemicals that are used to aid women in labor) is used for second trimester abortion. These drugs cause labor leading to the birth of a child too undeveloped to survive. Sometimes the salt solution is used in this method to ensure the baby is dead when delivered. Cervical injuries, infection, hemorrhaging, hyperthermia, cardiac arrest, and death are all risks involved in this process. Overall, abortion is a not a pretty operation and in all of these procedures there are high medical risks linked to the killing of the unborn child. The methods are rarely spoken of leading to ignorant girls and women, but medical side affects are not the only troubles connected to abortion.
Mental and emotional problems also can come to the majority of women who choose abortion. Post-Abortion Syndrome occurs in many cases. Despite a woman’s background, the security in her choice, or her mental and emotional stability, all women are born with the little voice in their head that kicks in after their child is killed through abortion. Guilt, anxiety, and depression will follow, sometimes quickly after the act but other times it haunts them years later. Questions are raised relating to their decision. Known effects of PAS, based on the Rhode Island Right to Life website (www.rirtl.org), are as follows:
“Impacted grieving: This reflects an inability to complete the grieving process
Self-destructive tendencies such as eating disorders, sexual dysfunction, and substance abuse
Feelings of isolation
Feelings of confusion and difficulty concentrating
Anxiety attacks
Irritability
Outbursts of rage or anger
Aggressive behavior
Nightmares or sleeping disorders
Recurrent and intrusive thoughts about the abortion or the aborted child
Flashbacks to the abortion experience
Feelings of intense grief or depression on the date of the abortion or the due date of the aborted pregnancy
Repression or denial about thoughts or feelings dealing with the abortion
Efforts to avoid activities or situations that remind the woman of the pregnancy or abortion
Withdrawal or estrangement from others
Inability to maintain loving or trusting relationships
A sense of hopelessness or futility about the future
Diminished interest in previously enjoyed activities
Suicidal thoughts or acts”

---Options other than abortion
---Conclusion
References:
http://womenshistory.about.com/od/abortionuslegal/a/abortion.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_abortion

http://www.prochoice.org/about_abortion/history_abortion.html

Page 347 WIR
Page 348 WIR

http://www.abortionfacts.com/survivors/giannajessen.asp

http://www.abortionfacts.com/dr_willke/connector_july_97.asp#1
http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/ASMF/asmf3.html

Quotes of Hope

http://thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/adoption/

One last post about adoption. The above link is a site full of adotion quotes. Believe it or not it is courageous and unbelieveably respectable. And please, don't think I'm gloating about choosing adoption for my son. No one will ever understand the pride a mother gets from knowing she made the right choice until it happens to you. You are overcome with so much love that the love for yourself drains out in an instant.
“Adoption is not about finding children for families, it's about finding families for children”
This quote is very true and meaningful. Millions of families just around our country would do anything for a baby. They themselves cannot have their own. There are incredibly heartbroken and desparate couples that just want to get the chance to actually start a family. There are so many loving, adoring families that would be fabulous parents. But, they are rarely brought up when it comes to adoption, because most people can't get past the "it would be too hard" part. Unfortunately...

The parts no one hears about...

“Learn About Abortion Procedures and Abortion Risks”
://www.pregnancycenters.org/abortion.html

I wanted to post this just as an informational site for anyone who wants to check it out. It makes me so sick and depresssed to imagine what actually happens. Abortion isn't magical and it isn't a cure-all. Out of the three friends who got pregnant, the closest one to me was Alicia. She was and still is my sweetheart and I had conversation after conversation with her about the options she had. What it came down to was how she didn't want to get "attached" to the baby. I'm not going to lie I got frustrated because if only she knew. If only she knew how rewarding and peaceful you feel to know your baby is alive. Just alive! You have life inside of you and it was created for a reason, so let that reason should be able to be fulfilled. She ended up choosing abortion when she was almost three months along. She came back that night and couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, and all she could do was cry while I held on to her and comforted her. That was what I wanted to keep her from. The pain and saddness and she now knows she has to live with her decision for the rest of her life.

Making a Hard Decision

http://www.abortiontv.com/Choices/otherways.htm

This site really caught my attention. It is definitely a little "boo-boo" in terms of layout and techniality, but it gets the message across. "It's easier to kill you than to wave goodbye" really hits me right in the heart. Everytime I think of a innocent little baby being killed instead of given a chance my heart aches. Of course, it is a touchy subject because I am passionate. I am passionate because of my experience. I want so badly for people to look at what I did as strong and good! I've talked to three friends this passed summer. All of them got pregnant and even after seeing me perservere and get through what I consider a blessing now, didn't even give it a chance. Two of the three said it would be "too hard." It was the most unselfish thing I have ever done and think I ever will do. I am not that strong of a person. I don't have superhero powers or a rock hard heart. I just took me, myself, and I out of the picture and it was as simple as that. It doesn't sound easy because guess what, it's not. The hardest part is putting yourself last and from there on it all becomes clear. It's the truth.

Past experiences mold present beliefs....

http://www.prolife.com/FETALDEV.html
As everyone in Women’s Studies knows, my senior year I was pregnant. From the end of the summer/beginning of my senior year until May 1st, 2008 I missed out on many normal “high school senior” moments. HomeComing was nothing special for me which was quite a disappointment. Ever since I was in about 1st grade I wanted to win HomeComing queen so badly. When I got pregnant, that hope vanished whereas I added a belly instead. I wasn’t even voted on for court! And at my high school we also had a ComingHome for basketball season and I already knew there was NO way I would be representing my class for that occasion being 6 months pregnant. Luckily for me I grew up in a small town where everyone knows everyone so I didn’t get many dirty looks walking down the hall, people – as far as I know – didn’t talk about my state behind my back, and I was never treated unfairly by my teachers. But, don’t get me wrong, I didn’t start off on my pregnancy out thinking it would be smooth sailing, quite the contrary actually. I am prolife and have always stood by my stance at that issue, but yet things change with circumstances. I’ll admit abortion crossed my mind. Just getting rid of the little life growing inside of me against my will sounded so much easier. But that’s exactly what that option was – the easy way out. I am passionate about this subject because I have a beautiful son who is healthy, happy, and is a blessing to another family who love him as much as I do. Even within the first 6 weeks Isaiah was growing miniature feet, fingernails, and other remarkable features were growing at his extremely young existence. Sure, as I got farther along, it got very difficult, but I wouldn’t change my decision for the world. I gave my son life because I put him first rather than myself. Each situation is different across the charts, but there is always the option of adoption. It is a bittersweet memory, but I managed and am here at Alma today. It wasn’t that I didn’t love my child; it was that I loved him so much that his life came before my own.

Particular work areas....

http://forums.plentyoffish.com/datingPosts5087279.aspx
Why are there so many single female nurses and teachers? Posted: 8/24/2006 10:46:38 AM
Both occupations involve a lot of stress. nurses tend to have caregiving personalities (my mother was a nurse for about 40 years). you find the same characteristic in teachers (i taught for years).both areas require the individual to take a great deal of responsibility, but very little power and control.

Okay I find this unbelievable. Because unfortunately decades ago, this was a very true true statement. The teaching and nursing fields have both been dominated by women for so many years and I've always wondered why. The answer to that question lies, in fact, in society and how things were in past times. Men couldn't be teachers because they had to tend the farm, manage the railway, work in the mines, etc... I want to know who decided that women coudn't handle those jobs. Men didn't want to be "lowered" to the position of teaching young children or helping those in need when it comes to the title of "nurse." Men were doctors of course, because they are on the high end of the chain. Nurses and teachers were in areas of little power and control which is very sad. Today, there are definitely more and more male teachers and nurses, but still the females definitely dominate in those areas. I think perhaps the old stigma may be alive still.

Christian Carter: Mr. "Casanova"

www.catchhimandkeephim.com; Author: Christian Carter

So, I've been getting spam emails from this guy for a long time now. They come to one of my emails I rarely check so I haven't done much to stop them from coming. The other day I received one that caught my attention, so I opened it. It was titled "What are YOU doing wrong?" I looked it all up and have found that Christian Carter is some random guy pretty much that decided that all women have a problem if they aren't in a steady relationship with a man. It is the women's fault. Number 1: I want to know why it is the women's fault. Carter goes on and on about what women do wrong; i.e. talking about past relationships, getting clingly, etc... I've been in two long relationships and in both I would argue that it was definitely the male in the relationship that screwed things up and went into the clingy domain. So, who is Carter to say that the women are the ones messing things up for themselves? Number 2: Christian Carter is ultimately saying that women aren't up to par if they don't "catch him and keep him". I understand he is trying to help the women out there that feel as though they can never win, but I happened to read an introduction to his book and he may as well say that he thinks that he knows all and is a pro. I just find him a bit ridiculous and thought it would be something interesting to blog about. Check it out if you want =)