Abortion has always been a controversial topic for people to openly talk about so much that many people choose not to talk about it at all even when faced with its reality, especially for those who it seems have their huge reputation to preserve. Many religious groups, Christianity most especially, frowns on the concept of abortion. It is regarded as a grave sin as the theory is that committing abortion is equivalent to taking a human life, even though that life is still in its very early stages in the womb.
[https://unsplash.com/photos/a-group-of-people-holding-signs-ZyJy9JEqKqk](Jasmine From Unsplash)
In some cultures, it is regarded as a taboo and a bad omen. A child is seen as a blessing and preventing that child from ever fully existing is enough grounds for ridicule and much criticism from people in the society.
I do believe that the choice of abortion arises as a result of the circumstances that arise. Nobody especially women should be made to carry a child that they don't want to carry because the work and effort that it takes to carry a child for nine months and then care for the child till old age should be a choice that one is willing to make and not because one was forced to due to societal norms and values which does not usually ensure the well-being of the woman most of the time.
Childbirth mainly affects the woman more than it does the man and in extreme cases of violent abuse which eventually leads to unwanted pregnancy, it is wrong to expect a woman who has gone through mind blowing trauma to carry and raise a child she doesn't want, a child that came about through violence and abuse and one that is definitely unwanted. In such cases, the choice to keep the child or abort should be left entirely to the woman without any form of societal influence.
It is wrong for people to judge women harshly for putting themselves first and making a decision that actually benefits them. Many times and in many cases, pregnancy is not a fun and games experience and the fear of pregnancy is real.
On the flip side, it is even safer to take precautions to reduce the risk of getting an unwanted pregnancy in the first place. As they say, prevention is better than cure and it's way better to be careful and rather plan for the future when one will be ready to raise a child rather than not take any precautions at all and then regret it eventually.
Partners can discuss with their partners whether they want to have another child or not or if they want to have a child at all. Though at the end of the day, it is still the woman that has to endure the pains and processes of everything whether they choose to have the baby or not, it is important to discuss the possibility of abortion if the need ever arises because being in a serious relationship especially one where one of the partners would like to have a child and the other wouldn't, having such a conversation will help to tackle the problem together.
