User:Ssophiabasta/Catholic Church and abortion

Embryos

See also: Stem cell controversy

The Church considers the destruction of any embryo to be equivalent to abortion, and thus opposes embryonic stem cell research. According to the Seven Themes of Catholic Church Justice,^[1] the first theme is the life and dignity of the Human Person. The Church emphasizes that every person, from the moment of conception, is deemed unique in the eyes of God and has a right to innate dignity. Therefore, no human or human quality can revoke an individual's rights. Due to this, abortifacients such as emergency contraception (EC), IVFs (In Vitro Fertilization),^[2] and hormonal contraception are deemed a form of abortion because they deny an embryo the right to life.^[3]

Furthermore, embryonic stem cell research is highly opposed in the Catholic faith. The action of utilizing embryonic stem cells to conduct experiments on and refute their right to live is a direct opposition to the Catholic Church. It is seen as "dehumanizing" in the eyes of Catholicism, and using any human person without their consent as "body parts" is against their moral responsibility.^[4] IVF is a strong example of this belief. Parents or surrogates who receive IVF face many challenges, such as an unwanted embryo due to genetic imperfections, undesired sex traits, or unintentional death due to the storage of IVF treatment. These actions deny the embryo the unique experience of living and the innate dignity through their development. The Catholic Social Teaching furthers this moral obligation in the understanding of God's gift of human life and the worthiness of respect to be a part of the human family.

Poland

See also: Abortion in Poland

In Poland, where 85% of the population is Catholic, the Catholic Church has greatly influenced abortion laws and policy. During the communist period (1945-1989), abortion was widely accessible in Poland, but Catholic groups opposed this action through moral advocacy and public campaigning rooted in the Church's teachings.

After the fall of communism, the Catholic Church emerged as a major political and social force in Poland, which led to the 1993 "abortion compromise," which restricted abortion access, only allowing it in cases such as a threat to a mother's life, pregnancies resulting from crime (rape, incest, etc.), or severe fetal abnormalities that would impede the fetus's life after birth. Moreover, in 2020, a ruling by Poland's Constitutional Tribunal further tightened that law, stating that abortion due to fetal abnormalities is unconstitutional.^[5] This created a lot of tension and debate between secular and religious perspectives. A study by Pew Research poll from 2017 found that 8% of Polish respondents believed abortion should be legal in all cases, and 33% that it should be legal in most cases. On the other hand, 38% believed that it should be illegal in most cases, and 13% that it should be illegal in all cases. These statistics highlight the differing views about abortion laws in Poland and emphasize the divide between individuals about their opinions and the influence of the Catholic Church.

Australia

See also: Abortion in Australia

Australia has fully decriminalized abortion in all states except for Western Australia.^[6] However, some Catholic individuals who reside in Australia have fought back against this law. In particular, some healthcare professionals who practice Catholicism have refused abortion services to individuals, which has caused an intense divide between "pro-life" and "pro-choice" advocates in the country.^[7] Despite that, according to one survey, 72% of Australian Catholics say that the decision to have an abortion "should be left to individual women and their doctors". There is not much discrepancy on the debate of abortion within Australia, and it is mostly held that the majority of individuals do support abortion practices and disregard the beliefs of the Catholic Church in Australia, which states that abortion should be illegal in all healthcare facilities that practice Catholic doctrine.^[8]

Annotated Bibliography

“Abortion.” Code of Ethical Standards for Catholic Health and Aged Care Services in Australia, Catholic Health Australia, 2001, pp. 24–27, https://cha.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Code-of-ethicsfullcopy.pdf. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.

Catholic healthcare facilities must not provide services related to or referred to abortion, defined as any action intended to deliberately end the life of an embryo, zygote, or fetus. The Code of Ethical Standards states that abortion is morally wrong because it involves the intentional killing of a human life, even at its earliest stages. The text also offers that those who have experienced abortion should be met with compassion, respect, spiritual support, and not be treated with hatred or disgust. This text provides the Australian Catholic justification of refusing abortion care in public healthcare facilities, thus leading to a divide in abortion standards in Australian healthcare.

Bucholc, Marta. “Abortion Law and Human Rights in Poland: The Closing of the Jurisprudential Horizon.” Hague Journal on the Rule of Law : HJRL, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 16 Feb. 2022, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9079218/.

This article analyzes the 2020 ruling by Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal that declared abortion illegal, highlighting the strong connection between Poland and Catholic tradition and practice. Catholicism in Poland has had a strong tie to political and legal decisions throughout the country’s history, and emphasizes the right to life and moral opposition to abortion. The author argues that the ruling reflects the shift from human rights standards to politically intertwined decisions, tied to broader changes since 2015. This text provides more insight into the political and religious state of Poland on abortion, related to the high population of Catholic practices. It is a critical assessment and leaves little room for bias.

Lanfranchi, Angela. “What Catholic Social Teaching Says about the Status of Embryos Part One.” The Pulse of Catholic Medicine, 22 Feb. 2025, www.cathmed.org/the-pulse/what-catholic-social-teaching-says-about-the-status-of-embryos/.

Human embryos, as viewed from Catholic Social Teaching, are seen as fully human from the moment of conception, and all embryos possess “inherent dignity” because it is created in the image of God. The teaching argues that embryos must be protected from threats such as abortion, reproductive technologies, and scientific experimentation. The article also connects this idea to broader Catholic principles about the sanctity of life and moral obligation. This source can be added to expand on the ‘Embryos’ section of the Wikipedia article, and offers a direct source of Catholic understanding on embryonic life. It has a credible religious framework and is a primary source on the opinion of embryo life and abortion.

Zhang, Angela. “Abortion Rights and Access in Australia: Implications of Roe V Wade.” Australian Human Rights Institute, 2022, www.humanrights.unsw.edu.au/students/blogs/abortion-rights-access-australia-roe-v-wade.

Following the Roe v. Wade overturn in 2022 in the United States, this article highlights the differences between Australian legal actions in relation to abortion and the United States’ decision back in 2022. It states that abortion is largely decriminalized in most areas of Australia, but its accessibility varies by area. Some hospitals and practices refuse abortion care due to religious beliefs in Australia, particularly Mercy, a large hospital corporation that has worldwide connections. As well as that, costs prohibit the accessibility of abortion. This article provides insightful data on the accessibility and overall beliefs on abortion and its legality in Australia.