South Carolina has experienced various changes with regards to abortion laws over the years. The United States as a country has a large population of their country having abortions every year. Various factors influence the frequency of abortion in the U.S including age, marriage status, economic status, and religious affiliation among others. Abortion has been identified as a safe surgical procedure for women living in the U.S as only 0.05% or less of the population face complications. The constitutional rights to abortion have greatly changed since the Roe v. Wade case of 1973 in the Supreme Court. The discussion will analyze the abortion laws in South Carolina, my stance on abortion and how it may influence the social worker's client ethically.
As of 2014, South Carolina had provided seven abortion facilities, 3 of which were clinics. With regards to the whole country, abortion services were provided by 1671 medical facilities (Sonfield et al . 2014). Even though there are facilities provided for abortions, there are however various restrictions on abortion that have since been effected. Before a woman carries out an abortion, she should be subjected to a counseling session overseen by the state. The counseling must include information that is geared towards discouraging the client from pursuing the act of abortion. Then the clients are required to wait for 24 hours before the provision of the procedure as asserted by Jerman et al . (2016). Another interesting fact about abortion in South Carolina is that public employees have an insurance policy that covers it. However, the insurance this only applies in the case rape, incest, or endangerment of life. The insurance coverage can also apply in the case where the client's health is extremely compromised.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
There are abortion changes that concern minors especially those younger than the age of 17. Before the undertaking of any abortion procedure, the parent of a juvenile, that is 17 years and below must consent. In cases of incapacitation or limited circumstances, health workers have the mandate to act in the capacity of the parent. Also, with regards to the timing of the procedure, the laws allow the performance of abortion at 20 weeks or more after fertilization under the circumstances such as when the life of the woman is endangered or where their health is compromised.
My stance on abortion is that abortion should only be carried out under circumstances where the pregnancy is a danger to the woman's life or if it is the only solution that can be used to mitigate a health concern in a woman. Abortions carried out for any reasons other than these are unethical and therefore should be condemned and considered unlawful. My stance is further strengthened by religious beliefs and the fidelity to the law that every life is worthy and therefore taking it away should mount to prosecution with accordance to the provisions of laws governing the right to life.
The social worker professional must adhere to the tenets of the values of their work that include service to the client, social justice, integrity, competence, and dignity among others. All these are required to offer appropriate service to the client. In their ethical standards, they must show commitment to the clients, self-determination, informed consent and the ability to avoid conflicts of interest. All these aspects are important in providing an abortion client with the necessary information required before undertaking the procedure such as the implications, the laws surrounding it, or if there is any consent they are needed to approve. The values and ethical considerations of a social worker can play a role in determining the overall decision of the client with regards to whether to do or not to carry out the abortion. They will also assist in establishing a proper relationship that is based on trust hence ensuring that the client adheres to decisions that only act in their best interest.
References
Jerman, J., Jones, R. K., & Onda, T. (2016). Characteristics of US abortion patients in 2014 and changes since 2008. Routledge.
Sonfield, A., Hasstedt, K., & Gold, R. B. (2014). Moving forward: Family planning in the era of health reform. Routledge.
