Dear President:

When you accepted your presidency, you also agreed to the responsibility of caring for your country and its citizens. As president, it is your job to face a multitude of controversies and determine which ones are worth pursuing and most valuable to our country as a whole; one of the most disputed topics being abortion. I am not telling you to choose a side, whether that be pro-life or pro-choice, on the matter. My goal is to simply inform you of the dangers of abortion, both mentally and physically, and how you, as our nation’s leader, can help prevent future problems.

With approximately half of the U.S. population being female (50.8%), the topic of abortion plays a major role in modern society. As a women and future mother, I have witnessed the magnitude at which the topic of abortion and women’s freedom of choice has affected those around me. Several women in my family have be diagnosed with PCOS, making it difficult for them to conceive. Therefore, the issue of abortion, or any other topic dealing with pregnancy, is of the utmost importance to me and my relatives. I’m begging you to see the value of uniform, nationwide regulations governing the abortion process in our country. I also encourage you to increase communication and education about abortion to help limit and mitigate its inherent risks.

Although it has been legalized since 1973, the restrictions created by the states are at varying degrees, leaving some women with differing rights than others. These restrictions limit women who wish to receive an abortion, forcing them to take drastic measures; some leading to extreme and even fatal side effects. (GuttMacher Institute 2). According to the Elliot Institute, a website with a goal of informing and comforting women, as well as their family members, who plan on, or have received an abortion, “Approximately 10% of women undergoing induced abortion suffer from immediate complications, of which one-fifth (2%) were considered major….the majority of complications take time to develop and will not be apparent for days, months or even years.” The side effects of abortion are numerous and are usually caused by illegal abortion techniques. However, they can be avoided through government monitoring and broadcasting of the dangers of abortion, as well as the different paths a women can take when looking to receive the operation. State limitations on abortions prevent some women who want one from getting an abortion, leading them to take matters into their own hands without full knowledge on the subject, further increasing the risk of the operation. If you, as president, decide that making abortion illegal would help the cause, you would only be expanding the problem. If made illegal, women would go to greater and more dangerous lengths to get the surgery. By regulating abortion laws and providing not only ample medical care, but mental help groups to women and their families undergoing the surgery, you would reduce the number of abortion related injuries and deaths.

In order for women and their families to undergo an abortion, they need to first understand any possible complications, risks, and outcomes. By staying well informed, a mother can make this life altering decision with more confidence, which will, overall, ease such a traumatic event. As stated by an article titled “Abortion” by CIC Penn. State University, “Pro-choice advocates are resolved to protect a woman’s right to choose, while many people in the anti-abortion movement oppose any and all abortion. It is unlikely that a permanent solution to this highly controversial moral and ethical issue can easily be found.” The purpose of not only the article, but the entire website, is to inform the public of both sides of this nation wide arguement. Throughout the article, the author makes a point to mention all of the factors playing into the debate on abortion, including medical risks, ethical and social issues, and a variety of viewpoints including the major ones of pro-life and pro-choice. This article is an excellent example of the level of detail in which people should understand abortion and the intricate process. If the government provided knowledge about abortion and made the risks, side effects, viewpoints, and operation options more readily available to the public, it would ease the already difficult decision faced by a multitude of women (Penn State 1). In fact, GuttMacher Institute's claims that, “Abortion is a common experience: At current rates, about three in ten American women will have had an abortion by the time she reaches age 45. Moreover, a broad cross section of U.S. women have abortions.” With such large numbers, it should spur us, as Americans, to join together to inform the world of the dangers of abortion and how to prevent such risks.

It’s up to you, President, to make an impact on an issue that has been around for years. The dangers of abortion need to be broadly communicated, as well as prevented in as many ways as possible. The creation of adequate mental and medical areas of support should be funded by the government in order to ease the operation for the women, and their families. This is your chance to help our country in protecting over half its population. Don’t let your ideals blind you to reality. Even if you don’t agree with abortion, don’t let that stop you from helping and protecting your citizens from the dangers of being uninformed.

Sincerely,

Samantha B.

Works Cited

"Abortion." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2014. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 16 Oct. 2016.

"Physical Dangers Associated with Abortion." After Abortion. Elliot Institute, Aug. 2000. Web. Oct. 15.

"State Facts About Abortion: Virginia." GuttMacher Institute. GuttMacher Institute, June 2016. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.