Hot topic questions Flashcards
What do you know about abortion and discuss the medical ethics behind abortion.
oAbortion is the medical process of ending a pregnancy so it doesn’t result in the birth of a baby.
In the UK, around 1 in 3 women have an abortion in their lifetimes.
Autonomy and beneficence for abortion:
1. A woman has the autonomous right to choose what happens with her own body.
2. The fetus exists within the mother’s body and she should therefore decide what happens to it and consider the risks that come with it. These include the disruption of education and relationships, the impact on the existing children, increased financial burden and most importantly, pregnancy itself. It can put you at risk of serious medical conditions, impact mental health and pain for months with risks of bleeding, infections and death.
3. It was estimated in 2015, 303,000 women died of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth.
Autonomy and beneficence against abortion:
1. A question arises as to whether the autonomy of a fetus can be considered. Can the fetus be treated as a second patient with its own autonomous rights.
2. Another question arises as to whether the rights of a fetus begin in utero or at conception.
3. It can be argued that as the baby has DNA and are a human being, regardless of whether they are in utero or not, they have rights and we do not have the rights to effectively kill the human being.
Non maleficence for abortion:
1. When considering non-maleficence, if the baby has serious life complications resulting in the baby being at risk of handicap or if the mother is at risk of physical and mental consequences as a result of the pregnancy or birth, abortion can be considered as preventing harm in these cases.
2. It can be further noted that abortion can also be considered as doing no harm if it were to have an effect on the existing children. This works in the best interests of the patient.
Non-maleficence against abortion:
1. By performing an abortion, it is essentially ending a life which must be considered when considering non-maleficence, making it clear that abortion is wrong.
2. Abortion itself comes with many risks abd can cause physical/mental damage to the patient.
3. The Royal College of Psychiatrists published a report that although the evidence is inconclusive, some studies have shown a range of mental disorders following an abortion.
Justice for abortion:
1. In terms of justice wherein everyone is treated equally, when considering gender equality, men’s inability to get or go through pregnancy can be considered. In this vein, the only way to achieve gender parity is for women to have the freedom of not being pregnant as men.
Justice against abortion:
1. When considering abortion on a larger scale, it costs the NHS hundred of pounds per abortion considering the limited funding of the NHS. The money could instead be allocated elsewhere towards sexual education and prevention of pregnancy.
Should fathers have a say in abortions?
The bay is half his genetically and therefore should have autonomy over the matter. In terms of beneficence, the baby could have a positive effect on his life. Being told that his baby would be aborted would go against non-maleficence as it can cause a breakdown of his relationship with his partner and his own mental health. In terms of justice the father has no right to say what happens to the pregnancy.
It is the mother who has to carry the baby and therefore she should have the autonomy to decide what happens to her own body. The pregnancy itself could result in it affecting her mental health if unwanted and the physical health impacted, thereby going against non-maleficence. In terms of justice, the husband has no right to say what happens to the pregnancy.
What should doctors do if they don’t believe in abortions?
Doctors and nurses can object to participate in abortion if it conflicts with religious or moral beliefs unless necessary to prevent death or grave permanent injury. The doctor should however refer the patient to another doctor for a second medical opinion.
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