Ethics at the Beginning of Life

Question 1

What occurs in scenario A for medical termination of a pregnancy occur?

Answer 1

• pregnancy not exceeded 24 weeks
• continuance of pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if pregnancy were terminated, of injury to physical/mental health of pregnant woman or any existing children of her family

Question 2

What occurs in scenario B for medical termination of a pregnancy occur?

Answer 2

• termination is necessary to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical/mental health of the pregnant woman

Question 3

What occurs in scenario C for medical termination of a pregnancy occur?

Answer 3

• continuance of the pregnancy would involve the risk to life of the pregnant woman, greater than of the pregnancy were terminated

Question 4

What occurs in scenario D for medical termination of a pregnancy occur?

Answer 4

• there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities that it would be seriously handicapped

Question 5

what are features of a medical abortion?

Answer 5

• usually avoids invasive procedure
• usually avoids anaesthesia
• days to weeks to complete
• available during early pregnancy
• high success rate (~95%)
• bleeding commonly not perceived as light
• requires follow-up to ensure completion of abortion
• patient participation throughout a multiple-step process
• offered up to 10 weeks
• induces miscarriage

Question 6

what are features of a surgical abortion?

Answer 6

• involves invasive procedure
• allows use of sedation if desired
• complete in a predictable period of time
• available during early pregnancy
• high success rate (~99%)
• bleeding commonly perceived as light
• does not require follow-up in most cases
• patient participation in a single-step process
• physical evacuation of uterus
• under GA/sedation