Essay Example: Adoption versus Abortion

Abortion is the process of terminating a pregnancy by removing the embryo from the uterus of the expectant mother which leads to its ultimate death. Abortion can either be induced, spontaneous or performed through medical procedures. On the other hand, Adoption occurs when one transfers parental rights and responsibilities from the real or biological parent. The process is meant to make a permanent change on the childs parental status. When a woman is faced with unwanted or unplanned pregnancy, she has a number of options but none of them is straight-forward. Some women may opt to have their baby and bring it up by themselves while others think that abortion or adoption are the best options to choose for them and the child that is not yet born. Those who choose abortion feel that the baby would become a burden to the society since it will need to be cared for. Adoption and abortion are in some ways similar but quite different in others and this is discussed in detail in this essay.

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First and foremost, both adoption and abortion relieve a parent(s) of their parental roles and responsibilities which allows one to continue with normal life and pursue their dreams and goals. In adoption, the mother is ready to give her baby to a family that is ready to provide for it since there are some couples that are not able to conceive thus are in desperate need of a child. Some advocates say that the mother of the adopted child can feel good to have made the choice and that her pregnancy finally gave life to someone. Contrary to adoption, abortion deprives the child of her right to live. Though at the end the parent may be relieved, it is unfortunate that life is lost and this becomes quite an embarrassment to her and keeps her feeling guilty of murder for the rest of her life. This is because the parent is not able to see the development of her child and this causes feelings of regret in her.

Another common characteristic of abortion and adoption is that both have their unique reasons and consequences. While some people see abortion as an incidentary issue which is meant to take an innocent life, others view it as a considerably perfect option for an expectant woman. This could be true especially to teenagers, drug addicts or rape and incest victims where the babys birth can have a potential risk to the life of the mother. Some scholars think that it is the best option as the embryo has not yet fully developed into a baby. On the other side, there are those who oppose abortion arguing that abortion is an illegal and wrong act under any reason or circumstance. They point out that those parents that are unwilling or unable to cater for their children have a logical option of taking the unwanted babies to families that are ready for the adoption process. Adoption in this matter saves the life of a child who could have innocently lost his life through the act of abortion. A common consequence on both issues is that some women undergo psychological trauma for losing their child through abortion or delivering the child successfully only to hand it over to someone else.

Moreover, adoption advocates have a different perspective of the situation. They argue that it is quite logical to spare the life of a child through the adoption process. They consider this as a suitable and kind option as opposed to abortion which they view as brutal murder of an innocent baby who has the right to live. They point to a number of children who have expressed gratitude to their biological mothers for having chosen to give them to good families rather than terminating their pregnancies. Adoption may prevent the mother from experiencing future guilt for terminating the fetus later in life. This is different from abortion where such feelings continue to haunt the victim for the rest of her life.

Adoption and abortion are quite different experiences. Abortion on one hand prevents the mother from undergoing the painful experience of child birth though it is associated with a number of risks. In adoption, the mother has to give birth thus the pain associated with the process is inevitable. Regardless of the experience, adoption is a much safer process and cannot be equated with the possible consequences that come with the process of abortion. In terms of cost or expenses, the mother who has given birth incurs no cost since the expenses related to the pregnancy are catered by the adoptive family. In the case of abortion, there are costs incurred and the mother has to pay for any extra medical fees for the care that she will need. Nevertheless, neither of the options are as costly as raising a child.

There are advantages and disadvantages of every choice a woman takes, whether it is abortion or adoption. This offers a difficult choice for her to make in case of an unplanned pregnancy. It is important to remember that the body of the expectant mother experiences transformation and turmoil during her pregnancy. Whether the society judges a woman on what option she takes, be it parenting, aborting or adoption, the final and best decision lies with the individual woman in a bid to suit her own circumstances at that moment.