Texas Abortion Ban: It Was a Good Idea
Addressing the Complexities and Ramifications of Texas’ Abortion Ban
Though this abortion law isn’t perfect, I believe it was a good decision. The “fetal heartbeat law” states that physicians can not perform abortions when a woman is 6 weeks pregnant or when the baby has a heartbeat. This will lower the amount of abortions done in the state of Texas.
The “fetal heartbeat law” is reasonable because when the mother is 5 weeks into her pregnancy the baby has already started developing a brain and a nervous system, meaning that when an abortion is performed, the baby can feel pain. Any abortions after that is ten times worse for the baby than it is before 4 weeks.
Many people say that random citizens who have nothing to do with the women getting abortions can sue the women, but this is false. The law enables people to sue physicians that perform abortions and people who knowingly engage in aiding the abortion, including paying for or reimbursing the costs of the abortion through insurance.
Texas has the right to enforce this law; every state has the right to. Each state in the U.S. has their own abortion laws, Texas having the strictest so far. States like Virginia and Colorado have very loose abortion laws.
Virginia’s law enables physicians to perform abortions up to the 3rd trimester, 8 months, and even abortions at birth. If you aren’t sure what that means, it’s when an abortion is performed, with the consent of the mother and the consent of several physicians, usually when the baby has several deformities. They keep the baby comfortable and many times resuscitate it until a decision is made.
If other states are allowing abortions when the “fetus” is fully grown, don’t you think that Texas’s law is rational? Texas is on the right track toward saving babies’ lives, but many people believe that they are targeting women; this is not true.
A common argument is that a woman doesn’t know she is pregnant at 6 weeks. This is false. According to the American Pregnancy Agency most women find out they are pregnant around 4 to 7 weeks into their pregnancy.
The law specifically provides an exception for mothers whose life is at risk, “Sections 171.203 and 171.204 do not apply if a physician believes a medical emergency exists.” So if a mother is at risk, physicians will be able to perform abortions.
There are 3 other options women have rather than just having the baby or getting an abortion. You have the options of contraception (artificial methods to prevent pregnancy like condoms or a contraceptive pill), motherhood, and adoption. A lot of girls who get pregnant and have abortions don’t even know what an abortion really is.
Texas is saving unborn children with this law and saving taxpayers money; if you didn’t know, federal funding funds Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood is also in charge of instructing students on sex education. If an organization founded on abortions is teaching our youth, don’t you think they would encourage more abortions?
Guiding young girls away from this route and teaching boys how to be responsible will save lives. We should be teaching girls about these options so they can avoid getting pregnant and getting abortions. Informing the youth is the only way to prevent these situations and there is no better time to start doing this than now.
I will leave you with a question to keep in mind and think for yourself what is right; when is a fetus considered a baby and when does that baby have a right to live?
