Abortion is defined as the deliberate termination of a pregnancy by surgical or medical (with drugs) means. [CITATION Lew13 p 169 l 1033 ] There are several types of abortions that are defined in the book, Doing Ethics. [CITATION Lew13 p 163 l 1033 ] The first type of abortion is the definition previously stated. It is the deliberated termination of a pregnancy by surgical or medical means. The second type of abortion is called spontaneous abortion. This type of abortion is defined as the unintentional termination of a pregnancy (due to medical disorder or injury) also known as miscarriage. [CITATION Lew13 p 163 l 1033 ] The third type of abortion is referred to as therapeutic abortion. Therapeutic abortion is performed to protect the life or health of the mother. [CITATION Lew13 p 163-164 l 1033 ] As you can see, abortion is defined in several different ways. Depending on what type of an abortion is had, can determine what a person would consider morally right or wrong. .
Some people may reference the principal of universalizability and say that abortion is wrong for everyone in every situation, regardless of the circumstances. The principal of universalizability is the idea that a moral statement that applies in one situation must apply in all other situations that are relevantly similar. [CITATION Lew13 p 7-8 l 1033 ].
Others may consider the principle of impartiality. The principal of impartiality is the moral point of view that all persons are considered equal and should be treated accordingly.[CITATION Lew13 p 8 l 1033 ] People that believe in the principal of impartiality may say that abortion is wrong for all people considered, including the mother and the fetus or unborn child. .
There are many reasons that a woman may consider abortion. One would be that the pregnancy is unwanted or unplanned. According to research done by the Alan Guttmacher Institute, nearly half of all pregnancies are unintended.