Mental disability, Rights and Tragic Dilemmas

Question 1

What are the rights at the beginning of life?

Answer 1

The foetus has no rights until birth.

Question 2

What are the rights of the father?

Answer 2

Father = no rights to veto/request/be informed/consulted abortion.

Father has legal responsibility of child maintenance once baby is born.

Question 3

What are the rights of the mother?

Answer 3

The fact that the woman is pregnant has no effect on her legal rights in any way

She can engage in any (lawful) behaviour that is harmful to the foetus

She can refuse medical treatment, including caesarean section, even if it risks the life of the baby

Question 4

What are the legal grounds for abortion?

Answer 4

Abortion is a criminal offence (1967 Abortion Act) unless it is agreed by 2 doctors acting in good faith that:

The pregnancy is < 24 weeks and the risks to the physical and mental health of the woman or any children in her family are greater if the pregnancy were continued

At any point if:
Termination is necessary to prevent grave or permanent injury to the mother

Continuing pregnancy would involve a greater risk to the life of the pregnant woman than termination

There is a substantial risk that the child will be born with physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped