They also argue that there are many programs including welfare programs to help families in these types of situations. The two opposing sides of abortion are obvious but to completely understand abortion became such an important social issue and how it developed you must explore the history of it.
Abortion first emerged as a social issue in America in 1712. In that year Reverend Benjamin Wadsworth declared that "If any purposely endeavor to destroy the fruit of their womb they"re guilty of murder in the God's account." In 1716 New York City mid wives were required to swear that they would abide by the law that stated they could not give advice or any type of medicine that would cause a pregnant woman to miscarry. The idea of this oath given by midwives was to not provoke abortion because abortion was legal under common law. Abortions were illegal only after quickening, which was usually in the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy, when a woman felt the fetus move. Most abortions were performed after quickening because many women did not know they were pregnant until they felt the fetus move since there was no form of a pregnancy test. The most popular form of abortion during the 1700's was the ingestion of an abortifacient, which was a potion that caused a miscarriage by irritating or poisoning the body. Abortifacients were made up of aloes, pennyroyal, and savin, which is liquid extracted from juniper bushes that grew wild in North America. Mechanical abortions were performed by inserting an instrument into the woman, these were rarely performed. Abortions during this time were very dangerous, many women became sick and some even died after ingesting an abortificient. However abortion remained common among unmarried and poor women due to the same economic beliefs that exist today that are used to justify abortion. Many unmarried women resulted to abortion because during the 1700's a harsh punishment was imposed on women who had a child out wedlock.