2. The Team’s Approach
• Social networking to plan our meeting times
• Balanced the work load evenly
• Shared information via Google docs
• Utilized the library as a meeting and research location
3. Abortion: What’s the big deal?
• Perspectives
• Pro-life
• In the middle? (a large range in-between the two extremes)
• Pro Choice
• The key issues
• What’s the reason for the big debate?
• What’s influencing the decisions and stance that people take on
the issue?
• Stakeholders
• Primary vs. Secondary?
• Who’s involved?
• Who should be involved?
• What influence do the stakeholders have?
4. Some Background
• 13th Century
• abortion after five or six weeks was considered homicide, punishable
by hanging.(Rich, 2013)
• In the 1820s…
• It was recognized that current abortion methods were resulting in
high mortality rates, and the unsafe practice was outlawed for the
sake of women's health.(Rich, 2013)
• 1973 Roe V. Wade case
• Legalize abortion in the U.S. (Abortion, 2013)
• April 2007
• The Supreme Court upheld a federal law completely banning the use
of late-term abortion (called "partial birth abortion" by opponents).
(Rich, 2013)
• March 2011
• The health care reform legislation signed into law by US President
Barack Obama maintained a ban on the use of federal money for
abortions
5. The “Facts”
• Since 1984 the number of abortions has steadily decreased. Except for a
minor increase in 2002.
• Contraceptives
• Religion
• In 2005 1.21 million abortion were performed. (legal/recorded
abortions)
• From 1973 through 2005 over 45 million legal/ recorded abortions took
place
• 50% of women who have abortions are younger that 25
• Future
• Teenagers take up 17% of all abortions performed. (Rich, 2013)
• Future implications?
• 70 percent, according to a recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll continue to
support Roe v. Wade in place, but 58 percent of those polled want some limits
on the availability of the procedure. (Abortion, 2013)
• Restrictions?
• More than 130 anti-abortion laws in the last 2 years
• Over 300 anti-abortion laws since 1995 (Abortion, 2013)
7. Some More data and statistics
(Abortion’s in America, 2013)
8. Key Issues
• Safety
• Employees of abortion clinics
• Human rights
• Morality and ethics
• Scientific definition
• When should it be considered taking a life?
• Between 16 and 20 weeks is a common limit for many pro-choice advocates
• At conception for many pro-life advocates
• Future
• Unprepared for a child
• Child’s future
• Health
• Mother’s health
• Child’s health
• Financial Issues
• Can I support this child
9. More Key Issues
• Religion
• Should religion be involved?
• Early Christian – The Bible
• The Orthodox Church - Evangelium Vitae (John Paul II)
• The Catholic Church – Thou shalt not kill
• Islam – AL 'Quran
• Buddhism – Dalai Lama
• Hinduism – Gandhi (SPUC, 2013)
• Circumstances of pregnancy (Abortion’s in America, 2013)
• Rape? (1 %)
• Inadequate finances (21%)
• Responsibility (21%)
• Woman’s future (16%)
• Relationship problems (12%)
• Too young (11%)
• Too old (8%)
• Baby’s health (3%)
• Other(4%)
10. Key Stakeholders
• Primary
• Mother
• Father
• Child
• Close Family
• Secondary
• Extended Family
• Child Support Services
• Community
11. What We learned?
• How much the issue of abortion dated back
• Be wary of the numbers you get, and always double check
your sources
• Surprising Information surrounding abortion regarding religion
and other influences.
• The reasons behind of pro-choice and pro-life advocates
• Statistical/Data vs. Morality and ethical
• Lots of bias in the statistics that can be misleading
12. Conclusion
It seems to be that one is either completely pro-life or some
variation of pro-choice. Based on that assumption the “best”
options seem to be a compromise of a pro-choice law with
“reasonable” restrictions. For example: a time restriction, age of
the mother, circumstances of conception, and the health of the
mother and baby.
We found issues of morality to be a very touchy subject and
nearly impossible to tackle. In an “ideal” situation if would be of
the best interest to set morality aside.
13. References: Works Cited
• Abortion. (2013, June 15). CQ Researcher. Retrieved from http://0-
library.cqpress.com.wncln.wncln.org/cqresearcher/
• Jost, K. (2003, March 21). Abortion debates. CQ Researcher, 13, 249-
272. Retrieved from http://0-
library.cqpress.com.wncln.wncln.org/cqresearcher/
• Rich, A. (2013). Abortion: An Overview. Points Of View: Abortion, 1.
• http://www.spuc.org.uk/youth/student_info_on_abortion/religion?
policy_check_on_input=Allow
• Retrieved from http://www.operationrescue.org/about-
abortion/abortions-in-america/
