Would abortion be legalized if men could get pregnant?

By Danna Gonzalez

Women continue to fight for their reproductive rights against new state laws to protect women’s health.  Photo taken by CNBC during the women’s rights march.

In today's society, women’s reproductive rights are a sensitive topic. Abortion, especially, is a delicate issue because there are many different opinions out there. 

On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court passed Roe v. Wade. It gave women the right to medically safe abortions without state restrictions. 

This gave many women the freedom to decide what they wanted with their bodies. For many years, this system worked, and women had the comfort of knowing they had a choice. 

Unfortunately, the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade in 2022. However, many states continue to have legal abortions. There are many circumstances, such as unwanted pregnancies or medical cases, in which women may decide on an abortion. 

Unwanted pregnancies are more common in teen relationships. Society has the idea that if a young girl has unsafe sex or does not protect herself, then she must take responsibility for the consequences that can occur. 

Rape cases are also under the umbrella of unwanted pregnancies. There are cases in which young girls and women have to keep a child that is a result of rape due to the laws of their states. This can cause women an emotional toll. 

The trauma that women endure is unimaginable, and having to keep the child who was a result of their assault is a kind of pain like no other. The child may also go through their whole life feeling at fault. 

Men often argue that rape is caused due the women's appearance. Never should an assumption such as this be made. In no case is rape ever the victim's fault and being forced always to have a memory of that is suffering to the victim as well as the child. 

In early December of 2024, ABC News reported, “Women detail the agony of being forced to carry nonviable pregnancies to term.” The online news interviewed women on their opinions of abortion laws. 

Many women shared their life experiences of needing a medical abortion but not having access to it. A safe abortion is permitted up until 10 weeks, but babies are often diagnosed with severe conditions after the 10-week mark. Not being able to abort can be a risk for the mother because a stillborn pregnancy can cause health issues to the mother, but abortion is not an option due to their state. 

According to the World Health Organization, there are an estimated 25 million unsafe abortions each year due to women and young females who are unable to access safe abortions because of state laws. 

Any woman who goes through a non-medical abortion is at risk of having many health problems. Many women, after labor, have postpartum depression, which is more common after abortions due to the guilt that women feel. 

Regardless of how women who decide to abort are viewed, the children are also being affected. Women are told to give up their child after labor if they feel they’re not ready for motherhood. However, this created a problem within the foster care system. Children in the foster care system are mistreated, and most stay there up until the age of 18. The cycle tends to repeat itself, causing an overpopulation of foster care. 

The people who tell women not to abort are part of the problem. They do not do anything to help women during pregnancy or the child after birth. People need to step back and look at the issues as a whole. Who it affects and how to end the cycle from all views.

The reproductive system in women's health is a delicate issue and should be decided by women only.