Pro-life is a term used by those who oppose abortion and advocate against its practice and legality. The term pro-life is often used interchangeably with anti-abortion or abolitionist movements. Pro-life groups believe that a fetus is a person that has legal rights and are often united in this belief. However, some pro-life groups, such as the consistent life ethic movement, oppose all forms of killing, including abortion, war, euthanasia, and capital punishment. Pro-life groups are often associated with the Christian right and include organizations such as Focus on the Family, Students for Life of America, and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.
The term pro-life began to be used by opponents of legal abortion around the early 1970s, born from the related term "right to life". The term pro-choice (or "right to choose") was coined in response by abortion rights advocates shortly after. The term pro-life is defined as "opposed to abortion". However, the term is narrow and simplistic, and the pro-life movement encompasses a more complete understanding of what it means to be pro-life.
In contrast, pro-choice supporters believe that women have the right to choose whether or not to have an abortion. They support laws that allow people to access the full range of reproductive health care, including safe, legal abortion. The labels pro-choice and pro-life are often used to force people into just two boxes for all their religious, moral, political, and practical beliefs on abortion, but they dont reflect the complexity of how most people feel about the issue.
