When it comes to abortion there are two different types of people: pro-life and pro-choice. Pro-life people believe that every child deserves a chance, regardless of circumstances and that the government has the right to refuse an abortion, while pro-choice people believe that an individual can make their own decision and do what they want (Head). Almost half of all pregnancies are unwanted and of these approximately 4 in 10 are terminated. The miscarriage rate in all pregnancies is 22%. Every year about 2% of women between the ages of 15 and 44 have an abortion, half of whom have already had an abortion before. Women in their twenties account for more than half of abortions obtained. Adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 make up only 18% of women who have abortions. 54% of women who had an abortion had used some form of contraception (Guttmacher Institute). Making abortion illegal in the United States does not eliminate the procedure. This is because it does nothing to reduce the root cause, unintended pregnancy. Making abortion illegal just has a bigger impact on the circumstances in which you get the procedure than on its incidence. In 1900, abortion was considered a criminal offense. Doctors were not concerned about safety, leading to abortions performed by untrained midwives or other providers. In Guttmacher, Abortion in Women's Lives, it is stated that "the criminalization of abortion has not eliminated the procedure, but has instead endangered the lives of many women by forcing them to resort to clandestine procedures. Many have been performed in unsafe conditions." . (Boonstra 13). A decade before it became legal, abortion was only allowed if the woman's life was in danger or in cases of rape. A doctor could lose his... half the paper... abortion causes stress. According to the American Psychological Association, stress is greatest before an abortion. Furthermore, there is no evidence of post-abortion syndrome. Abortions are usually performed within the first trimester, during this period a fetus cannot physically exist outside the uterus, its health depends on the mother (Lowen). Works Cited⦁ Boonstra, Heather D. “Abortion in Women's Lives.”, New York: Guttmacher Institute, 2006⦁ Guttmacher Institute. “Facts About Induced Abortion in the United States.” In Brief, New York: Guttmacher Insititute, October 2013.⦁ Editor, Tom. “Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice.” Civil Liberties, About.com⦁ Lowen, Linda. “10 Arguments About Abortion: 10 Arguments For Abortion, 10 Arguments Against Abortion.” Women's Issues, About.com⦁ Stacey, Dawn. “Abortion Information, Abortion Facts.” Contraception, About.com. June 22nd 2011