The Ethical Dilemma Of Abortion
Assignment 2 For assignment number two I chose an article from The New York Times on abortion. The article is titled: When Abortion becomes birth: A Dilemma of Medical Ethics Shaken by New Advances (New York Times). The main ethical question following this article is: when if ever is an abortion ethical according to deontology? Abortion by dictionary definition is “the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy” (“Abortion.” Merriam-Webster). Abortion is one of the most controversial ethical issues because it concerns the taking of a human life. Anti-abortion regulations first began to appear in the United States during the 1820s. Although the most influential case was the Roe Vs
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With medical technologies growing and changing every day mortality rates are at an all-time low. The ethical dilemma is: that abortion may take place at 28 weeks of pregnancy, although with advanced medical technologies infants as early as 23 weeks of pregnancy are surviving outside the womb. Although the statistical possibility of a fetus surviving an abortion is low, it is still a very real issue. As late term abortions become more and more common ethics come into play. If a fetus survives a late term abortion what will happen to the fetus? This put hospitals in a bad place ethically. The article states: “Hospital ethics committees are confronting the question of whether late abortions should be moved out of operating rooms and into the obstetrical wings holding the latest life-saving equipment. Women requesting late abortions at some hospitals are being told that a fetus born alive will be given all chances to survive”. With these new medical technologies the ethical dilemma is, if a child is born through an abortion should said child receive the same medical attention as a child born form miscarriage? The article emphasizes that “When an abortion becomes a birth, it is unclear who must decide what procedures are in the infant's best interest or who is financially responsible” (New York Times). Hospitals are dealing with the issue of fetus birth through abortion in a variety of ways. Some hospitals have switched to an abortion method that ensures the fetus will not survive, while other hospitals are simply warning families to be aware that live birth may happen as a result of a failed
With medical technologies growing and changing every day mortality rates are at an all-time low. The ethical dilemma is: that abortion may take place at 28 weeks of pregnancy, although with advanced medical technologies infants as early as 23 weeks of pregnancy are surviving outside the womb. Although the statistical possibility of a fetus surviving an abortion is low, it is still a very real issue. As late term abortions become more and more common ethics come into play. If a fetus survives a late term abortion what will happen to the fetus? This put hospitals in a bad place ethically. The article states: “Hospital ethics committees are confronting the question of whether late abortions should be moved out of operating rooms and into the obstetrical wings holding the latest life-saving equipment. Women requesting late abortions at some hospitals are being told that a fetus born alive will be given all chances to survive”. With these new medical technologies the ethical dilemma is, if a child is born through an abortion should said child receive the same medical attention as a child born form miscarriage? The article emphasizes that “When an abortion becomes a birth, it is unclear who must decide what procedures are in the infant's best interest or who is financially responsible” (New York Times). Hospitals are dealing with the issue of fetus birth through abortion in a variety of ways. Some hospitals have switched to an abortion method that ensures the fetus will not survive, while other hospitals are simply warning families to be aware that live birth may happen as a result of a failed