Termination of pregnancy is a significant issue that remains an ethical dilemma as to whether it is permissible or not.
There are many theories about abortion, ranging from complete opposition in any case to the other extreme, which is permissible when a woman desires it. There are many schools of thought in between these two extremes, which can be broadly divided into two major groups: the group that supports the right to life of the embryo or Pro-life, and the group that supports a woman’s right to choose or Pro-choice.
Pro-life Group is a group that opposes the termination of pregnancy because they believe that the life of an embryo or fetus is as valuable as another person, or what is called having personhood status. Therefore, it has the right to life, and no one should violate it. The organization that most strongly and clearly supports the Pro-life concept is the Roman Catholic Church, which believes that life is according to God’s plan and is sacred (Sanctity of life), and humans should not violate it.
In 1968, Pope Paul VI issued a Papal encyclical called Humanae Vitae, which is a very important document that clearly states the philosophical stance of absolutely prohibiting the termination of pregnancy and also prohibiting all methods of contraception, except for periodic abstinence. Since Roman Catholic Christianity has the most followers in the world, the Vatican’s stance on this issue has a widespread impact globally, especially among couples who wish to use contraception or terminate a pregnancy.
Other religions also generally support the life of the fetus, with some minor differences. In Buddhism, killing is considered a sin that violates the first precept of the Five Precepts. The Pro-life concept is therefore very strong in Latin American countries that follow Roman Catholic Christianity and in Arab and Asian countries that follow Islam and Buddhism.
Pro-choice Group believes that women have the right to their own bodies, which is a basic human right. Therefore, women have the right to decide whether to continue or terminate a pregnancy. Forcing a woman to continue a pregnancy against her will is considered a violation of human rights. This concept developed alongside the idea that human health is related to freedom and justice in society. Coercion, discrimination (double standard, prejudice), and lack of access to medical services are considered violations of human rights and have serious ethical implications. The concept of human rights exists in almost every religion, depending on interpretation, but became more concrete after the French Revolution and the United States Declaration of Independence, leading to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1948.
Pro-choice Group believes that the embryo or fetus in the womb is unlikely to have personhood status because it does not yet meet all the conditions of personhood. For example, it cannot survive independently outside the mother’s womb. Therefore, terminating a pregnancy is not considered murder. The embryo or fetus in the womb does not have any rights to claim or override the rights of the pregnant woman. However, even if the embryo or fetus is considered a complete person, it still does not have rights equivalent to the rights of the woman who owns the body.