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Abortion; a Moral Issue

Article · August 2016

DOI: 10.17795/whb-35763

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Women’s Health Bull. 2017 January; 4(1):e35763. doi: 10.17795/whb-35763.

Published online 2016 August 4. Discussion

Abortion: A Moral Issue

Fariba Rezaei,1 and Sedigheh Ebrahimi1,*
1
Department of Medical Ethics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran
*
Corresponding author: Sedigheh Ebrahimi, Department of Medical Ethics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran. Tel: +98-9171129908, Fax: +98-7112348980,
E-mail: [email protected]

Received 2015 December 25; Revised 2016 February 12; Accepted 2016 February 20.

Abstract

Nowadays different crimes are committed by people enticed away from the truth and deceived by devil, only to achieve their per-
sonal goals and maintain their individual liberty. One of the greatest sins committed in this world is abortion. The fetus is a human
being from the very beginning and has the right to live. Although the mother has a right to decide what shall happen in and to her
body, her rights cannot be privileged over those of the unborn child. Therefore, the life of every human being should be respected.
The most common attempts were made to show that the unborn child does not have the right to burden the female reproductive
rights and women’s right to abortion. According to the universal declaration of human rights, every human being has the natural
right over his own life and this rule encompasses all members of the human society including human embryo. All of them are sup-
posed to have human personality and ethical rights. Thus, it is not permitted to deprive an embryo of his future life. The purpose
in the current overview was to attempt an explanation of the questionable notion of the abortion. The paper puts forward a brief
argument about abortion versus the right of fetus to live.

Keywords: Right to Life, Abortion, Human, Person

1. Introduction ferent types of euthanasia are still committed violating it.

Nowadays different crimes are committed by people

enticed away from the truth and deceived by devil, only 2. Arguments
to achieve their personal goals and maintain their individ-
ual liberty. They merely think about their own transient 2.1. Embryo and the Right to Life
interests, and disregard the rights of others. Everyone has
the right to live and have personal liberty and security (1). The beginning of a human life as an individual living
Among all the rights it has, “the right to live” has overshad- organism is the period when he or she is identified, or be-
owed the others and no one shall be deprived of his life (2, gins to be identified, as a person (3). From the biological
3). standpoint; every genetically living human is referred to a
One of the greatest sins committed in this world is member of human beings and consequently has the right
abortion. The fetus is a human being from the very begin- to live. Therefore, from the moment of fertilization and for-
ning and has the right to live. Although, the mother has a mation of the egg cell, the embryo possesses the right to
right to decide what shall happen in and to her body, her live. Accordingly, fertilization is the beginning of the life
rights cannot be privileged over those of the unborn child. of a new actual human being with his own special genome
Therefore, the life of every human being should be re- and gender. The life formed in this way is human life, not
spected; whether it would be a normal fetus or an abnor- plant or animal life. The human being created in this man-
mal one, or a healthy person or someone with physical or ner has a unique personal identity, as the human genome
mental impairments. that makes distinction between the lines on each finger (3).
According to the universal declaration of human Given the basic facts about the inception of human life,
rights in 1948, all human beings regardless of their race, many claims are advanced in the discussions about abor-
skin color, gender, language, religion, opinions, national tion.
or social origin, or other status are entitled to equal rights A number of population control advocates contended
and dignity (2, 4). Article three of the declaration provides that the large population of the earth is the main reason
that every human being has the right over his own life, lib- of poverty in many countries and abortion is a good way to
erty and security (1, 2). control the human population (5).
However, the right to live is respected in all nations, but This assertion could be answered as follows: it is
too many crimes such as abortion, murder, suicide and dif- proved that in populated countries with high birth rates

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 Rezaei F and Ebrahimi S

and low quality of live, the level of happiness and life satis- lives of their unborn and born children.
faction is higher than other societies (6). All the creatures in the world are physically related to
Furthermore, born children are never killed because each other. For instance, human body requires oxygen to
they are perceived to be too numerous for the planet. breathe, water to drink, the vitamins which exist in plants
From the Islamic perspective, killing infants for fear and animal meat. The plants also need water, soil and sun-
of poverty is regarded as a shameful deed. Since God has light to grow, human infants and children are dependent
promised to provide sustenance for them as well as for on their parents, disabled and ill persons all need some-
their family (7). body to take care of them. In all of these situations, it can-
Some people seem to think that embryo is an un- not be said that they do not have the right to live only be-
wanted human being in the case that the mother’s life is cause of their dependency on each other.
threatened. Therefore, in their opinion the embryo does Contrary to the above prolife reasoning, from the pro-
not have the right to live like a whole human and the choice perspective, the mother’s full autonomy over her
mother could decide about killing or keeping it (8). body is another issue to justify abortion. In this view, the fe-
Mary Anne Warren believes that a mother can do an tus is simply a part of the mother‘s body. The bodily auton-
abortion, because she has the right of autonomy to main- omy justification is that the mother does have the right to
tain and defend her own life and well-being. Therefore, deny whomever she wants, even the baby growing within
from her viewpoint depriving a mother from the right of her and even if the fetus has an inherent right to life, super-
abortion is actually violation of the right of personal au- seded by mother’s right to autonomy. This argument could
tonomy (9). be properly responded as follows:
Mary Anne Warren mentions five basic characteristics Although, it is true that the fetus is another body that
of human which distinguish the embryo from the human grows in the mother’s womb, it is not a part of her body.
society and divest him of his moral rights due to the lack of Even the physical appearance of a pregnant woman views
them. The five characteristics are: 1) Consciousness, 2) Rea- the fetus as a foreigner the womb expresses hospitality to
soning ability, 3) Self-motivation, 4) Capacity to communi- the fetal ensuing creature. Aside from that the fetus is ac-
cate with the outside world and 5) Self-awareness (10). tually a dependent human, he does not only belong to the
The current study claims that the aforementioned ar- mother, but half of the embryo’s genotype belongs to the
guments are absolutely wrong. According to the western father and it has also proved that the genomes of the fetal
views and the human rights rules, a human being is enti- cells completely differ from those of the mother. Therefore,
tled to have freedom provided that he does not violate the the above-mentioned claim is absolutely rejected and as a
rights of others. Therefore, the mother is not allowed to conclusion, no mother is permitted to expel the baby from
kill an embryo because of having unconstrained degree of her body as an intruder via abortion.
freedom.
The embryo is totally dependent on the mother’s body. 2.2. Islam and the Human Creation
This attachment, however, does not deprive it of the right
to be a human being, and he has a unique identity from the The Holy Quran quotes Pharaoh as asking Moses in
moment of the conception to the moment of death and has surah Taha verses 49 and 50: "Who then is your Lord,
all the natural capacities to act as a person. Moses?” He said: “Our Lord is He Who gave unto everything
Due to the embryo’s physical dependency on the its nature, and then guided it aright.”
mother, almost in all countries even in the religious ones All the living and non-living things in the world are cre-
such as Catholic communities, abortion would be permis- ated in perfect balance and measurement. Then they are
sible in a situation that a pregnancy threatens the mother’s guided in the right path toward the desired target. There-
life. fore, all creatures are connected to a larger spiritual and
Aside from that, in all societies the word mother rep- physical world. If the structure of something is harmed, it
resents a good example of a perfect human who lovingly absolutely fails to achieve the main goal and also deprives
tolerates the travails. A godly mother shows love and com- others from its important role in the balance of the cre-
passion for her children with care, protection and sacrifice ation (11).
which is continued throughout her children’s lives. Therefore, destroying the world‘s creatures including
Why should an innocent human being be called em- the persons with physical or mental impairments for any
bryo for his parents’ faults? Parents have a responsibility reason would get them away from God’s intended purpose
toward their offspring that they do not have to strangers of creation and disturb the balance which God has created.
(8). They should accept the responsibility of their own ac- According to the above discussion, all the creatures
tions and are obligated to make an effort to maintain the such as plants, animals, healthy people or the ones with

2 Women’s Health Bull. 2017; 4(1):e35763.

 Rezaei F and Ebrahimi S

disabilities, even the living environment, etc., are worth- the high-risk pregnancies that threaten the mothers’ well-
while and should be cherished. Since all of these precious being can be performed legally and safely in hospitals.
gifts are created for the mankind by the glorified God. Nowadays, unfortunately the fetal right to live is ig-
Hence, it is man’s duty to preserve and enjoy the God’s nored and too many abortions are easily done by the peo-
blessings quite well (11). ple who want to escape liability by justifying themselves.
As a result, the right to live for a patient in coma or a fe- Their purpose is to obviate the emergency and hard-
tus with thalassemia is as equal as that of a healthy person. ship rule. Is this rule applicable in the case of causing the
From an Islamic perspective toward abortion, having a death of an innocent fetus? Is it a conscionable act to kill a
malformed fetus may be a divine trial for the parents mak- human embryo for the reason that he puts his parents and
ing them live in torment. But perhaps it would bring out the society in trouble? If yes, the people who are disabled
many blessings, whereas they are not aware of them. in accidents should be killed to get rid of the problems they
It may also be a good example for others that remind cause. Whereas, the reality is that in human society, dis-
them to express gratitude to God for their well-being. It abled persons have equal rights and dignity to healthy peo-
may awaken the hearts of God’s negligent servants and ple and are even supported by the international human
bring them to perfection. rights.
Allah reminds us of the difficulties that mothers bear Besides this, there are some certain responsibilities for
while giving birth and raising their children. each individual in the human society which he or she is ob-
“And we have enjoined upon man concerning his par- ligated to fulfill. For example, taking the responsibility of
ents. His mother beard him in weakness upon weakness, having a child is regarded as one of these obligations.
and his weaning is in two years: Give thanks unto me and
unto thy parents. Unto Me is the journeying" (Surah Luq-
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