Abortion Flashcards
Abortion
The deliberate termination of a human pregnancy
Abortion act UK
The 1967 act amended in 1990
Legal grounds for abortion up to 24 weeks UK
Risk of physical or mental harm to the mother
Rise of physical or mental harm to existing children
Legal grounds for abortion up to full term UK
Risk of grave, permanent damage to the physical or mental health of the mother
Substantial risk of severe physical or mental disability in the child
Risk of life to the mother
Direct abortion (Catholic Church)
An abortion that intends to kill the embryo/foetus
Indirect abortion (Catholic Church)
An abortion that fulfils the criteria of the principle of double effect
Permissible because the intention and means are not the killing or the embryo/foetus
Vatican document abortion quote
‘The right to life is no less to be respected in the small infant just born than in the mature person’
Catholic Bishops of Northern Ireland Abortion quote
‘Abortion is a brutal violation of the precious gift of life’
Fletcher compulsory pregnancy quote
‘The truly ethical question is not whether we can justify abortion but whether we can justify compulsory pregnancy’
Fletcher quote on abortion
‘Abortion is evil but it may be the lesser of two evils’
Fletcher quote on Down Syndrome
‘True guilt arises only from an offence against a person and Downs is not a person’
Hursthouse quote on women and abortion
‘The virtuous woman has character traits of strength, independence, responsibility’
Hursthouse quote on men’s responses to abortion
‘Men and boys can in their actions manifest callousness and self-centred ness in life and parenthood in relation to abortion’
