Graphic by Harrison Burstion
Editor’s Note: This is a work of satire. This article contains reference to sexual assault.
Abortion legalization has been contested since the procedure was protected by the 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade. After its verdict was overturned in 2022, protests and counter-protests showed extremely diverging views on pregnancy termination. As of 2024, 32% of voters will only support candidates sharing their views on abortion.
We need a tangible way to prevent unwanted pregnancy that prevents conception and avoids the abortion debate entirely.
Abortion is dangerous with the destroyed fetus being the primary victim of the procedure. But the industry is also proven to harm potential mothers.
Even the safest abortion conditions face serious risk. Only 1% of abortions performed are medically necessary. However, complications are found in 2% of the 1 million abortions performed in the United States each year. The realities of metrorrhagia, vulvodynia, postoperative delirium and disseminated intravascular coagulation cannot be taken lightly.
The mental trauma also cannot be overlooked. The decision to pursue an abortion is not an easy one and haunts individuals who seek the procedure. These consequences are described in Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem, “the mother.”
Most importantly, some abortions are not even successful at terminating the fetus. Some people face these risks, stresses and related expenses for no reason.
A child is born without those responsible for its well-being wanting it to be here.
This is something that those on both sides of the abortion debate take issue with. The procedure’s supporters believe this is a key reason to support abortion access.
Children who are not wanted by their parents and are given to adoption or foster care systems face increased risk for mental health issues, trauma and abuse.
However, the 42% of unintended pregnancies in the United States which end in abortion primarily point to a different, preventable issue. Abstinence or effective birth control would have removed the need for procedure considerations entirely.
I absolutely agree with this being an effective approach — we need to prevent pregnancy before it leads to abortion.
But abstinence is definitely not going to work. Avoiding sex entirely can negatively impact your mental health, cardiovascular function and immune system.
There is also an abundance of pornographic and heavy sexualized media in our modern society which makes sexual urges difficult to ignore, especially in young people. Sexual education classes in school also expose youth to the concept of intercourse. And at any age, one partner who desires sexual interactions can sway the stance of one practicing abstinence.
Even though only 1.5% of abortions performed are due to rape or incest, these are certainly risks and ones that prove birth control is a better method to address all relevant issues rather than abstinence.
Unfortunately, most birth control methods face significant consequences, especially on the potential mother.
All hormonal birth control methods include risks of osteoporosis, cancer, cardiovascular disease and negative mental health for potential mothers. There are currently no hormonal birth control methods for potential fathers, but existing trials show risk of erectile dysfunction.
The other commonly accessible birth control methods are barrier protection. Aside from being less effective than other methods, barrier methods can cause allergic reactions and irritation for both parties. Condom usage has been declining over time and isn't a good solution.
The only non-hormonal, non-barrier birth control option currently available for those who might get pregnant is the copper intrauterine device. The copper IUD faces its own sets of potential complications: gastrointestinal perforation, vaginitis and ectopic pregnancy.
Permanent birth control methods, like a hysterectomy, remove the possibility of a person ever becoming pregnant. But one in five women are raped in the United States during their lifetime; if someone wants a preventative protection against the possibility of a pregnancy resulting from rape, an impermanent birth control is the only logical route.
However, there is still an available nonhormonal, nonpermanent and nonbarrier method that doesn’t involve risk to a potential mother at all.
A vasectomy is a quick procedure which takes as little as 10 minutes. The reversibility rate is as high as 95%, so there is a high probability that individuals can successfully father children later in life. It is approved for those as young as 16 in some states and can be free with insurance.
Additionally, libido, ejaculation and testosterone production is not affected for a potential father after a vasectomy is performed. Testosterone is produced as normal, so puberty and development are not impacted at all. If vasectomies are made standard procedure for all young potential fathers at puberty, the desire for abortions in any capacity will disappear. Everything works as it did before the procedure — that is, except the risk of pregnancy.
When individuals desire to become parents, they can provide documentation showing their ability and willingness to provide for a future child as a prerequisite for their vasectomy reversal. This will help ensure that future offspring are raised in the best potential environments possible.
The well-being of children must be society’s only priority. Mass vasectomies being administered across the United States is the most reasonable solution to prevent pregnancy and eliminate the need for abortion entirely.
Article originally published via Technician, found here.
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