The choice of when and how to start a family should be left up to the individual, not dictated by the state. Women should have access to safe and legal abortion services without fear of criminalisation or stigma. Forcing someone into motherhood against their will is cruel and inhumane, and can have devastating consequences on both their physical and mental health.
Women must also be allowed access to contraception in order to have control over their reproductive health. Contraception gives women choices about when they want to become pregnant and can help protect them from unplanned pregnancies or sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This right is essential for all women, regardless of their economic status, race, or religion.
In addition, criminalising abortion puts vulnerable women at risk of serious harm as they may resort to unsafe methods such as self-induced abortions which can lead to severe complications including infection and death. Women should not have their lives put in danger by being denied access to safe reproductive healthcare services. Further, criminalising abortion puts an undue burden on poor women who may not have the financial means or access needed for a safe abortion procedure.
Ultimately, abortion should remain legal as it is a fundamental human right that must be respected. Women must have access to safe reproductive healthcare services without fear of criminalisation or stigma so that they can make informed decisions about their own bodies. No woman should ever feel like she has no other choice but motherhood against her will.