Abortion should be illegal

It appears that my opponent will not make an opening statement. I will post a small argument here.I. Legalized Abortion Reduces CrimeThe crime drop in the 90s was partially because of legalized abortion: "For instance, homicide fell 25.9 percent in high-abortion states between 1985 and 1997 compared to an INCREASE of 4.1 percent in low-abortion states. Panel data estimates confirm the strong negative relationship between lagged abortion and crime. An analysis of arrest rates by age reveal that only arrests of those born after abortion legalization are affected by the law change."[1] Abortion reduces crime rates. II. Legalized Abortion Reduces Women's Deaths "Six months after abortion was legalized in Guyana in 1995, admissions for septic and incomplete abortion dropped by 41%. Previously, septic abortion had been the third largest, and incomplete abortion the eighth largest, cause of admissions to the country's public hospitals. One year after Romania legalized abortion in 1990, its abortion-related mortality rate fell from 142 to 47 deaths per 100,000 live births. These are examples of the positive impact legalizing abortion has on women's health."[2][3][7] Legalized abortion is safer than "backalley" abortions.III. Legalized Abortion Reduces Breast Cancer Risks "In February 2003, the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) held a workshop of more than 100 of the world's leading experts who study pregnancy and breast cancer risk. The experts reviewed human and animal studies that looked at the link between pregnancy and breast cancer risk, including studies of induced and spontaneous abortions. Some of their findings were: • Breast cancer risk is increased for a short time after a full-term pregnancy (that is, a pregnancy that results in the birth of a living child).• Induced abortion is not linked to an increase in breast cancer risk.• Spontaneous abortion is not linked to an increase in breast cancer risk.The level of scientific evidence for these findings was considered to be "well established" (the highest level)."[4] Legalized abortion reduces the risk of breast cancer when compared to a pregnancy. IV. Legalized Abortion Reduces Mental Illness Rates "The biggest study worldwide of the relationship between termination and mental wellbeing is published and concludes: 'The best current evidence suggests that it makes no difference to a woman's mental health whether she chooses to have an abortion or to continue with the pregnancy.'"[5] It would be an unwanted pregnancy, not the abortion itself, that would cause mental illness in a woman. Legalized abortion reduces mental illness incidence. V. Abortion Is Not Immoral "Despite the potential that a fetus has for becoming a human being, and its similarities to a human being, we cannot say that a fetus is a human being. A fetus resides in a legal and social no-man's land, where rights and personhood can have no force or meaning, unless women are kept thoroughly oppressed. Plus, there are many significant differences between a born human being and a fetus, which creates reasonable doubt as to its status. Because there can be no consensus on the matter, the value accorded to a fetus is a subjective, personal matter. Individuals, not society as a whole, must choose what the status of a fetus should be, based on their personal beliefs, morality, and circumstances. And ultimately, this choice belongs only to pregnant women."[6] Abortion is not immoral and should not be illegal. Overall, abortion should be legal.Sources [1]: http://pricetheory.uchicago.edu...[2]: Abortion in Context: United States and Worldwide," Alan Guttmacher Institute, 1999. [3]: http://www.ourbodiesourselves.org...[4]: http://www.cancer.org...[5]: http://www.guardian.co.uk...[6]: http://www.abortionaccess.info...[7]: "Envisioning Life Without Roe: Lessons Without Borders," Alan Guttmacher Institute, 2003.