For every choice in life, there is a decision and consequences to follow. Society should embrace the idea that abortion is a woman’s choice and that they have weighed both the costs and benefits and know what is best for them and the life they are bringing forth. Over the years, the issue of abortion has been a controversial matter that has evoked divergent views and opinions worldwide. The practice involves prematurely ending a pregnancy by removing a fetus from the uterus (NIH). Although abortion remains prohibited in many countries worldwide, its access has become more obtainable today, with a global drift pointing at liberalization. Hence, more and more people are continuing to embrace the idea that criminalizing it is doing more harm than good to the affected individuals. Societies should decriminalize abortion because it denies women the right to have autonomy over their bodies. They should be permitted to decide whether to keep the unborn child or end the pregnancy. Again, banning it does not prevent women from having abortions. Instead, they opt for unsafe procedures to avoid legal liability and social stigma, which has led to severe consequences such as health complications and deaths. Women should be allowed to have an abortion since criminalizing it results in increased unsafe abortions, and the practice also violates the fundamental human rights of women and girls.

First, legalizing abortion will reduce the number of unsafe abortions. When women want to postpone childbearing but do not use contraceptives, unintended pregnancies occur. These incidences may emanate from rape and nonconsensual sex. A significant percentage of women who get unplanned pregnancies opt to keep the babies, resulting in unwanted births. Others terminate them through induced abortions that are often carried by people who lack the relevant medical skills or in a setting that does not adhere to acceptable health standards. Unsafe abortions remain among the primary causes of maternal deaths, even though most are preventable (Frederico et al. 329). The deaths emanate from severe bleeding, infections, obstructed labor, and blood pressure disorders. These mortalities may be evaded or reduced by ensuring that the affected individual seeks safe abortion practices conducted using the appropriate method and by a health expert. Enacting strict abortion laws has been one factor that has increased the mortalities emanating from unsafe abortions. The reason is that most are reluctant to seek these services from a medical professional for fear of facing legal consequences.

Legalizing abortion or imposing less restrictive laws may be an ideal way to address the problem. Otherwise, desperate women, mainly from low-income countries who encounter financial constraints and social stigma linked to unplanned pregnancies, will always opt to terminate the unborn children through the back door, believing they do not have another choice. Hence, the practice severely threatens their health and life, primarily when performed by a non-specialist. Nations that permit abortion record fewer deaths and complications than countries that illegalize or put more restrictions (Allotey et al. 505). Thus, it is evident that criminalizing abortion does not prevent women from terminating their pregnancies but increases the rate of unsafe ones. Legalizing the practice may be indispensable in reducing these cases and the associated maternal deaths.

Second, banning abortion does not deter women from having abortions. Most women who have unplanned pregnancies opt for abortion. The reason they make such risky and tough decisions vary from one individual to the other. While sometimes the conclusions may be based on medical grounds, such as when the life of the mother, the baby, or both are in danger, the reasons are usually complicated in most cases. Various countries have set policies and regulations that specify when to end a pregnancy legally. However, one must consult a doctor to ensure they are eligible for the procedure and meet the legal requirements. As mentioned earlier, abortion becomes legally and socially acceptable when the mother or the child’s health is at risk or the pregnant woman has a risk for mental conditions or other medical issues.

Unfortunately, only a few cases are health-related and intend to protect the mother’s health due to various medical complications. This scenario implies that a significant percentage of women who end pregnancies decide based on other factors rather than health reasons. For example, one may choose to seek abortion services since they believe that they have enough children and cannot accommodate another. Others may not be prepared to care for a child or carry pregnancies, especially those resulting from sexual assaults such as rape or incest. Thus, despite abortion law indicating that the practice is illegal, many women with unwanted pregnanc