Abortion Is Not Health Care

As government officials debate the issue of funding abortion, the question, "Is abortion health care?" is consistently at the forefront of the discussion. However, "health care" itself is rarely, if ever, defined -- thus, making it difficult to determine if abortion fits the definition of health care. While the American Medical Association (AMA) does not define "health care," the AMA does define the type of health care for which physicians should advocate. This paper examines whether abortion fits these seven criteria defining the type of health care for which physicians should advocate. After exploring the historical events surrounding the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, political and judicial action since then, the scientific data on abortion, and the medical advances since the 1970s, it is clear that abortion does not fit a single component of the criteria defining the type of health care for which physicians should advocate.

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