Unplanned pregnancy is a major issue in Ireland, with statistics showing that 12% of all pregnancies are not planned. This means that 1 in 9 women between the ages of 18-25 have had an unwanted pregnancy at some point in their lives, with the numbers only increasing for women 26-35 (19%) and 36-45 (18%). These are pretty staggering numbers that highlight just how big of an issue this is in Ireland.
Although abortion is illegal in Ireland, this does not stop Irish women from having terminations. Every year, thousands of people travel to the UK for this purpose. It is not illegal to travel elsewhere for an abortion, and many women exercise this option.
There are better solutions to this problem than legalizing abortion. Some argue that contraception and education are key to good sexual health. Statistics show that unwanted pregnancies are lower where contraception is readily available. However, education about contraception is also important, so people know it is available, know where they can get it from and how they should use it. Ultimately, the decision to have an abortion should be left up to the pregnant individual.
Although contraception is easily available and sex education is good, there are still some unwanted pregnancies, as shown by statistics from Ireland. Abortion may have its own problems, but making it illegal also has problems.
The illegality of abortion in Ireland does not necessarily prevent abortions from taking place. Many people travel to places such as the UK and the Netherlands to receive abortion services, meaning that the end result is effectively the same. The only difference is that women in this situation have to go through more stress and problems at what is already a difficult time.
Abortion is a major problem in our society today. Not only does it promote illegal abortion, but it can also cause all kinds of health issues for both the mother and child. Abortion pills are readily available from unregulated, illegal websites, and these are often used by women who have unexpectedly fallen pregnant. These can cause all manner of health issues. The pill often does not work, therefore failing to end the pregnancy but often meaning the child is born with health defects. The mother’s health can also be at risk. Other types of illegal abortion, such as back alley jobs performed by amateurs, cause major problems.
One might expect that the number of abortions would be higher in countries where it is illegal, but the statistics show otherwise. This suggests that the law doesn’t have a significant impact on the number of abortions taking place. The majority of abortions occur in developing countries, which underscores the importance of contraception and sex education. This is a lesson that developed countries can learn from as well. By increasing access to contraception and education about sexual health, we can reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and other sexual health problems.
Unwanted pregnancies often result in children being put up for adoption or placed into care. With already too many children vying for adoption, agencies are unable to provide adequate care, leaving some children unwanted and without a suitable forever family. Additionally, more children in care puts a burden on society. It is expensive, and the care cannot be as high quality if too many children are in care.
