Throughout history, many moral and ethical issues have caused much debate. During the past century, abortion has joined this subject as one of the most debatable matters of controversy in the United States. The issue of abortion intertwines discussions about ethics, emotions, and law. One specific aspect of abortion, which causes much debate, is the procedure of partial birth abortion or D&X. This term has conjured much publicity and quandary in recent years, especially by those who are pro-life. Ironically, this abortion procedure that is at the heart of all this controversy is almost never used, may be the safest method of mid semester abortions, and is indirectly pushed by the pro-life movement which makes it difficult for women to receive first trimester abortions.
             Contrary to what most people believe, the partial birth abortion procedure is usually conducted in late second trimester and not late in the term. Most D&X abortions take place between 16 and 24 weeks which is only half way through the pregnancy. "However, abortion opponents came across the description in 1995, brilliantly and dishonestly named it "partial-birth" abortion, which falsely implied that the method was being used on full-term babies in the process of being born, and brought it to the attention of Congress." (http://prochoice.about.com/newsissues/prochoice.htm) What is unknown is that this procedure is rarely used on third trimester fetuses and almost never on full term babies. Its also kind of odd that all this fuss is on a procedure that only consists of about 1% of all abortions a year. Only a couple thousand are performed each year with most being done before the third trimester.
             Although Anti-abortionists make partial birth abortion seem gruesome and inhumane, it is actually a safer and quicker method of late second-trimester abortions. Also, as a medical technique, nothing makes partial birth abortion fundamentall...