Ethical Issues in Termination of Pregnancy: A Case Study Analysis

Essay Based on Case Study on Termination of Pregnancy
Essay Based on Case Study on Termination of Pregnancy
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Essay Based on Case Study on Termination of Pregnancy
1. Identify the ethical issues raised by the events described in your chosen case study
Introduction
The world of health care is dynamic and continues to present medical professionals with several
emerging challenges emerging from ethical dilemmas. Making the best choices for patients and
safeguarding healthcare professional policies ends up in a conflicting situation in many times.
These confliction moments affect the decision making process among healthcare professionals.
In these challenging situations, healthcare providers rely on the principles of healthcare ethics:
Autonomy, Beneficence, non-maleficence and justice. Application of these principles is however
dependent on the legal restrictions of a country. In essence, the Australians legislation in
principles of nursing are based on the United Nations declaration of human Rights, International
Covenant of Economic , Social and Cultural Rights and International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights.
The selected case study is based on the debatable and all controversial topic of termination of
pregnancy on medical grounds where a baby’s health cannot be guaranteed at the pregnancy
term. Termination of a pregnancy due to fetal anomalies is both an ethical and morally
challenging tissue even in the medial field. It is also a legal issue based on a country’s restriction
on abortion as a practice. Ethical dilemmas include conflict between the woman’ s right to
autonomy, the fetus right to personhood and life and the societal moral obligation of the doctor
(Mose, 2008).
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Essay Based on Case Study on Termination of Pregnancy
Case Study
In this case, Sarah has a moral obligation and is bound by medical ethics to fully disclose to the
couple in the simplest of communication language, the state of the fetus, the possible dangers
and suggest to them all possible solutions that are medically sound.
Natalie as parent whose child has been diagnosed with the possibility of being born with an
abnormality is faced with the dilemma of having to raise a disabled child. Weighing her
personal options, she thinks this would be a challenge she cannot go through with the pregnancy.
Her suggestion to terminate the pregnancy may be questioned as to whether she has no respect to
the sanctity of life.
The labour ward nurse, Lily indicates that these days everybody is after the perfect life. Her
assumption is that the couple will opt for abortion since it has become the norm. This is however
unethical since as a medical practitioner, one should inform a patient about abortion a solution to
the medical dilemma but should not advocate for it. In some countries, abortion is supported by
the notion that children should be by choice not by chance. In this case however, the labour ward
worker seems to suggest this as the one solution to the problem. This is professionally unethical
and legally unlawful as it seems to deny the patient a chance to choose. As a medical practitioner
especially working for women’ health. One should be after the wellbeing of the woman and give
advice on each decision and the effect it may have n the mother; emotionally, physiologically
and even financially then let the affected take a personal decision. (Torres, and De Vries, 2009).
This, as the social worker supports.
1.1 Human Dignity and Human Rights
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