For every three pregnant women in America, one of them will choose to have an abortion (Dudley). Abortion is the ending of a pregnancy before birth. There two types of abortionist groups; one of the groups is Pro-Choice, meaning; they believe women should have the freedom and right to determine whether or not to have an abortion. The other group is Pro-Life, a group that includes many members that has religious roots and considers abortion an unjustifiable sin. The Pro-Life group believes abortion is immoral and considers it to be murder. The Pro-Life group was founded in June 1973 (Terkel 96, 97). Birth control, abortion procedures and emotional factors are important when deciding to have an abortion.
There are many types of birth control, although some methods of birth control help to get rid of an unwanted pregnancy. D.E.S., known as the morning after pill, is one type of birth control that forces the fertilized egg to be expelled from the body before the egg is implanted in the uterus; this form of birth control is usually chosen by rape victims (Terkel 44). I.U.D., also known as intrauterine device, is a device that prevents the egg from implanting in the uterus, although this method is not used very often in abortions ("Abortion" 14). The most popular form would most likely be RU-486. This type of birth control was founded by a French biochemist, Dr. Etienne-Emile Beaulieu. RU-486 works by blocking the fertilized egg from attaching to the uterine wall. Therefore, the lining breaks off as in a normal menstrual cycle and expels the egg ("Abortion" 14). .
Induced abortion occurs when the fetus has attached to the uterus and has already developed a placenta. The placenta is the protective sac from which all nourishment is received. This form of abortion takes place when the fetus is forced out of the womb. Using a variety of chemical, herbal, mechanical, or surgical methods can cause induced abortions and these methods can often be fatal ("Abortion" 13).