Whether you identify as pro-choice or pro-life, it’s hard to ignore that the issue of abortion is not as black and white as it seems. Unfortunately, the argument against abortion tends to be oversimplified, painting women who seek abortions as frivolous individuals who do not think of the action nor its consequences. In reality, it is often the hardest decision of a woman’s life, and is sought for a variety of reasons. If the abortion rate is to be lowered, these reasons must be acknowledged and addressed individually.

One of the most reported reasons for getting an abortion, and one of the most pressing reasons for getting an abortion, is the simple fact that many women cannot afford to have a child, with 73% of women reporting this to be the case. Often, these women are young students or do not have the financial stability of a marriage to support them. This is especially a problem in the U.S. where there is no nationwide paid maternity leave and insurance is, simply put, a mess. For a mother to take time off of work could lead to poverty if not downright unemployment. Between hospital costs and the aforementioned reasons, the woman would be giving birth to a child they could not hope to feed or properly provide for.

In the United States, the pro-life movement is most closely associated with the religious right; as a result, most of the arguments are religious, and most attempts to stop abortion involve prayer. Unfortunately, apart from protests and prohibition, not much else is done to lower the abortion rate itself. One proven way to lower the abortion rate, to the chagrin of the religious right, is to supply birth control as well as proper birth control education. A 2012 study showed that providing birth control to women can lower the abortion rate by 62-78%. Also according to this study,

Each year, about 50 percent of all pregnancies that occur in the US are not planned, a number far higher than is reported in other developed countries. About half of these pregnancies result from women not using contraception and the other half from incorrect or irregular use.

This shows that it’s not enough to just provide birth control; we must educate our population on the proper usage of birth control. For this reason, sex education in schools should be restructured to provide accurate instruction in the proper use of the different methods of birth control, such as intrauterine devices.

Even more effective in lowering the abortion rate would be to directly address the financial reasons that lead women to seek abortions. One way to do so would be to institute a national paid maternity leave. In doing so, women would feel safe in leaving their jobs to have children and would not be forced to choose between having a child or maintaining their career. Another way to lower the abortion rate would be to make secondary education more available and accessible to young mothers, making it specifically infant-friendly. Alternative high schools are a possible way to achieve this; allowing pregnant young women and young mothers with children to attend high schools with those facing the same situation may help increase the likelihood that in the future they are able to provide for their child, and therefore help lower the rate of abortion, as well as offer a support system for years to come. Providing free or low cost child care services in college and at work is another way to help young mothers and pregnant women not feel like they have to choose between a child and future potential.

It can be agreed by both sides that the decision to undergo an abortion is a difficult and painful decision; if our society can help more women feel like this is not a decision they are forced to make, then all the better. To do this involves a restructuring of the work force and education system to empower women, making them feel like they have more of a choice when it comes to whether or not they will pursue an abortion. Whether pro-life or pro-choice, it can be agreed that forcing a woman to make the choice between her future and her child is repugnant; therefore, we must do everything we can to ensure that future generations no longer feel that this is a decision that has to be made.