ABSTRACT
For many pro-life Americans, abortion will logically and religiously be seen as murder, and legal abortion will never be acceptable. When it comes to who is having abortions, women in their twenties account for half of all abortions performed, while one-in-five abortions are obtained by women under eighteen. Making abortion illegal also served as an important tool for controlling women's sexuality. The American Medical Association (AMA) was instrumental in passing early abortion bans in order to establish their professional credibility compared to midwives. As religious groups were organizing to move against the legalization of abortion in the 1960s, more pro-choice organizations formed to fight for legalizing abortions, notably, the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws (NARAL). Pro-life activists seek to achieve this by restricting and outlawing abortions, while pro-choice activists seek to reduce the number of abortions by reducing unintended pregnancies through better family planning.
