The Scientific History of Abortion: Interesting Facts for Students

The Scientific History of Abortion: Interesting Facts for Students. We all know the ongoing battle of pro-life versus pro-choice. While things have been developing at a slow rate in some countries, a staggering 97% of abortions still take place in developing countries. These abortions are often unsafe, as the developing countries don’t have adequate equipment or have laws forbidding abortion.

The Scientific History of Abortion: Interesting Facts for Students

Hence, generally, it’s absolutely vital to raise awareness about such topics worldwide. Whether you’re writing an article for your college course or looking for some general information to gain knowledge, every student should equip themselves with enough information about abortion. Hence, this article discusses the available history of abortion and some intriguing facts for students to know. 

Resources on Abortion Laws

As multiple organizations and university initiatives are raising awareness on abortion and women’s rights, your college could possibly ask you to participate or write an essay on the issue. That’s also because numerous countries still prohibit abortions no matter the conditions, such as Egypt, Iraq, and Madagascar. The database of argumentative abortion essays is ideal for students looking for help in understanding the various topics and arguments involved in pro-life and pro-choice. Educating yourself and being aware of the situation is an absolute necessity in our day and age. 

Abortion Laws Before 1900

In 1847, a group of doctors banded together, and they called themselves the American Medical Association (AMA). For some reason, they scrutinized female workers in general, but especially nurses and midwives. That same intolerable group formed a criminalization campaign against abortion. Then, legislatures moved to ban abortion. By 1880, almost all states across the United States restricted abortion. 

There were a few exceptions, including saving the patient’s health. Hence, abortion was slowly known as a crime across all nations, and the stigma against it started to grow. Unfortunately, as the decision came from a group, 95% of which is composed of doctors, they had the power to make the decisions. 

Abortion Laws After 1900

In 1910, as immigrants’ numbers increased in the country, white men who felt superior supported abortion to improve the overall birth rates in upper-class families. According to the Guttmacher Institute, things started to turn around in 1930. More maternal deaths were caused by unsafe or illegal abortions. Approximately 18% of maternal deaths resulted from the dangerous procedures clinics used. 

But how did people start turning around? Sure, white supremacy was diminishing over time as people of color and women began gaining more rights. However, the media began speaking about the unsafe procedures. Then, doctors to talk publicly about the need to reform the abortion law. 

Radical Changes in Abortion Laws

Something strange happened around the 1950s, as women across the US started taking a drug named Thalidomide that was supposedly meant to ease pregnancy symptoms. However, it was later proven to cause some birth defects, but women were still not allowed to get an abortion. Even a TV host documented her journey through her pregnancy and abortion, as she had to travel to Sweden to get an abortion. Surprisingly, 52% of Americans were standing behind her. 

1964 was when ASA, the Association for the Study of Abortion, was formed. They aimed to slowly revolutionize the laws governing abortion. One of the most unique cases was during 1966 in a trial known as the Trial of the San Francisco Nine. These compromised 9 doctors who were sued for performing illegal abortions on women who had rubella. The disease was causing birth defects, and 128 medical school deans came to the aid and support of those doctors. This trial was definitely the first step forward, as abortion reform measures followed. California allowed abortion to be decided by the hospital committees upon request. 

Abortion Laws Today

We all remember when Donald Trump became president and reinstated some abortion laws. The law he reintroduced was a pre-existing one that dates back to 1984. President Ronald Reagen introduced the global gag rule. It states that foreign organizations are not allowed to provide health aid or referrals for abortion in the US. Fast-forwarding to 2021, Texas put a law called S.B.8 into motion. The law bans any abortion across Texas if the fetus is six weeks old or older. That seemed incredibly unfair, as multiple mothers wouldn’t even know they were pregnant by that point. While the AMA denounced that law, the Supreme Court put it into effect. 

Conclusion

Despite attempts to make abortion legal in the US, even though 80% of Americans support the decision, things have been moving slowly. Hence, while the solution is not quite as simple, education and learning provide a foundation for students across the country. It’s difficult to install such a revolutionary law across all states. Still, as we have seen throughout this article, changes happen in small steps. 

Hence, we recommend studying a little about pro-life and pro-choice, as these topics are not light-hearted, nor are they easy to grasp. Numerous factors come into play, including ethical, physical, and emotional ones. So are you pro-life or pro-choice? Either way, you might believe you know all there is to know about the topic, but the issue is much bigger than any of us. 

Author Bio

Robert Griffith 

Having studied political sciences and minored in English, Robert Griffith, unaware of his passion in life, later found himself immersed in human rights. Hence, that led him to write numerous stories centered around women’s rights and people of color’s rights. He is known for writing short fantasy stories and advocating for women’s rights.