LC567 Ethical Issues: Exploring the Moral and Ethical Abortion Dilemma

This report delves into the multifaceted ethical and moral dilemmas surrounding abortion, a contentious issue within healthcare. It meticulously examines various perspectives, including the moral rights of the fetus, the ethical responsibilities of healthcare professionals, and the personal rights of the mother. The report explores the complex interplay of ethical principles, professional rules, and societal values, acknowledging the legal and social implications of abortion across different countries and cultures. It discusses the factors influencing abortion decisions, such as economic, social, and health considerations. Furthermore, the report highlights the importance of women's rights, the role of legal frameworks, and the impact of ethical considerations on healthcare practices. The report also explores the legal and moral responsibilities of healthcare professionals and the ethical considerations surrounding abortion, providing a comprehensive overview of the subject matter.

Running Head: Ethical and moral dilemma in abortion
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Ethical and moral dilemma in abortion 1
Introduction
Healthcare is full of moral issues but one of the most difficult moral issues is related to abortion
which includes life of two people. Abortion usually involves two parties, one who is threatening
and others whose life is being threatened without any fault. This report will include various
moral perspectives related to abortion (Sedgh et al., 2012). In addition, these reports also include
moral right of fetus to life just like other people. It also includes risk related to abortion
procedure in terms of health, economic and social platform. It also includes moral and ethical
responsibility of healthcare professionals towards women as well as fetus.
Ethics issue and moral problems related to abortion
Ethics issues are recognized through naturalized bioethics method. Ethics issues are also linked
with traditional bioethics along with focus on everyday ethics in the form of economic, social
and political bases. Moral problems are linked with those issues which are under the focus of
media as well as other ethical experts. According to both approach, every human being has the
right to life. In fact, this right separates human being from other animals. Ethics and moral
concept are also focused on developing of embryo into person (Walsh et al., 2011). This makes it
very difficult to draw a line related to time period of developing fetus into person. It has been
found that fertilized ovum is having all components which are essential for growth and
development of the person. At present, claim can be made related to damage caused to fetus
which indicates that fetus is actually human being. Moral issue comes when things are related to
ending life of person through procedure by others. Many people believe that fetus can be only
considered a person if fetus is capable of existing independently if separated from uterus. In
addition, advanced technology has reduced time in progressively (Cooper, Wingfield and Bissell,
2008). Other believes if brain starts developing in embryo then only it must be considered as
person. They believe that there is a significant difference related to killing or destroying things in
order to prevent their existence. Preventing existence simply rejects the future of that thing.
Abortion ethical and moral dilemma
Abortion is considered as exclusion of human fetus before it is able to survive outside the womb.
One of the basic ethical issues which are connected with abortion is dilemma between morality
or immorality of abortion. In cases, in which people think abortion is immoral somewhere
believes that fetus is actually a person and has full right to live (Casey, Oates, Jones and
Cantwell, 2008). But at the same time, some believes that fetus is just moment until delivery is
not done in the form of human being and therefore human right does not apply to it. It has been
found that abortion supporters have setup criteria under which they distinguish human being
from fetus.
Another ethical issue connected with abortion is personal right of the mother over her body along
with life of unborn child. Therefore, it is her decision whether to go for this process or not. In
addition, proponents consider abortion as a moral right which belongs to woman and his full

Ethical and moral dilemma in abortion 2
right to accept or reject because this process can impact her life physically, psychologically and
economically. According to this moral right, woman should feel free to take decision-related to
their fetus. Also, Abortion supporter believes that they are not anti-life but consider it as choice
supporter related to fetus which has not taken shape of human being in order to link them with
right to live (Deans and Newson, 2012). But others believes that it is against health and body of
women because abortion is risky to the life of the women. It is immoral to have control over the
unborn life from human being point of view. Many people believe that killing an innocent person
is an immoral action and fetus fulfills criteria of person in terms of their life. Thus, abortion is
morally wrong and often it decision is made dependent on personhood of the person. As per
proponents, abortion process is morally justified. It is natural, if a person is facing some harm
related to her life or may stop her in attain more valuable thing they can go for abortion. In
certain cases, if person is not having better course of action and is suffering from emotional and
material issue then conceiving children if one of the best choices for the person (De Jong et al.,
2010). Reasons behind abortion can be many and having an unwanted child can impact
economic and social life of the parents. Abortion process has always been topic of controversy in
various countries because many countries connect fetus with religious believes mainly in Middle
East. In addition, there are women organizations which believe that women have full right on
their body and therefore it is their right whether they should go for abortion or not. Abortion can
be understandable when case is related to unmarried girl because they come under various
complications in the form of health, economic and social context. In some cases abortion can
damage uterine in married women (Lo and Parham, 2009). In some case, this process can
increase risk related to cervical and tubal blockage and can generate risk to their life.
According to United Nation Department of economic and social affairs, abortion is permitted on
various grounds. It includes protect life of pregnant women, protection related to physical and
mental health of women, rape case and economic situation of women. There are countries in
which women have to meet certain requirements in order to get permission for legal abortion.
These simply indicate that even United Nation department also understands moral laws linked
with abortion. In various developing countries like United Kingdom, moral law associated with
abortion was shifted to civil rights in order to provide equality between male and female. Gender
equality is also considered as a major issue related to woman fundamental rights related to their
reproductive life (Shah, Åhman and Ortayli, 2014). The purpose behind this law was to provide
equal rights of women related to their bodies. United Kingdom has legalized this right in terms
of safety and protection related to abortion. In some countries restriction related to abortion is
being shifted to privilege instead of civil right. Due to poor economy, women have experienced
challenges for affording healthy healthcare. Abortion law has complexities in their service and
can be justified on the basis of various objectives which include women health and right in terms
of life. Often some of the objectives are linked with religious believe and in certain cases
prenatal life overtakes independent rights. According to UK law, destruction of a fetus is
considered as morally important if reason behind the action is satisfactory by including social
act. This is one of the main reasons because of which abortion process in various states comes

Ethical and moral dilemma in abortion 3
under criminal law and even moral offense. It has been found that international law does not
challenge above objective behind abortion law (Choe, Song and Kang, 2013). But at the same
time, acknowledge abortion law may serve as a legitimate objective for the protection of moral
support in the form of right to life for unborn babies from public consent. In addition, ethical
dilemmas related to abortion are most pronounced in the form of pregnancy. This law creates
difference line between contraception and abortion under moral law in the form of advocacy
patterns along with medical conditions. In some cases, it has been seen that women themselves
support early abortion in order to normalize situation. It is known as menstrual regulation instead
of real abortion. In cases like risk to miscarriage, embryo instead of fetus and situation in which
women does not look pregnant offers them ethically right for abortion (Ganatra et al., 2017). In
some countries, abortion laws through their judicial interpretation directly reject idea of
conception related to ethical decisions in pregnancy. Prenatal life status sometimes gains control
over the freedom of women in pregnancy. In addition, there is difficulty in creating a separation
line in abortion crime, child destruction and so on. These lines of decency sometimes create
gestational age between murder of life and abortion. Various countries have put temporal
restrictions related to access to abortion. In addition, trimester framework is being connected to
UK court for the prenatal life interest. It has also focused their interest on the economic and
social background of the women in order to provide her safe and healthy environment. Temporal
restrictions are very common related to abortion on the global level and have been set as policy.
While opponents related to abortion concept may maintain killing of embryo as morally wrong.
But at the same time no comment has been made related to abortion or embryo destruction
whether it is morally wrong or ethical. Also there are significant considerations which restrict
outweigh to destroy embryo because ultimately they are life and it is not morally correct to take
them for personal interest. Various Institutions and NGO are refusing to provide financial
support in case of abortion (Sedgh et al., 2016). In this situation, it becomes important for
women to demand for their pregnancy termination right in a safe and healthy environment.
Abortion is the second issue in women right which has been shifted from moral context. Many
medical researchers believe that abortion is an integral part of women right and must be seen
from feminist viewpoint. Some feminists see abortion as a right to unjustly be forced into
motherhood and therefore, it should not be seen as submission role of society. In addition,
feminist believe unwanted pregnancy puts women into limited space in terms of job
opportunities, education opportunity as well as health (Steinberg et al., 2009). Until abortion
becomes a legal issue, women have two choices, one continue pregnancy against their will and
other is illegal abortion which can risk life of the women in terms of medical procedure. In this
situation, women have every right to go for legalization of abortion in order to ensure safe and
sanitary procedures.

Ethical and moral dilemma in abortion 4
Legal and moral responsibilities
It has been found that state law that was linked with restriction to elective abortion during first
trimester has been declared invalid by UK court. Still, abortion is being granted and implemented
in various developed countries due to economic and medical conditions and not because of
inequality in gender. In some cases, various challenges are being faced by nurses related to their
involvement in the abortion process. At present, abortion has become legal and therefore nurse
professionals feel a little bit relax. Nowadays, nurse practitioner experiences and are capable to
perform almost all procedure related to Abortion. But still, law does not permit nurses to do
abortion practice (Erdman, 2012). It is believed that if abortion process is conducted by nurse, it
will be considered as violation of integrity of nursing profession and can put life of mother at
risk. Even unborn child is patient for nursing profession. According to nursing profession, it is a
moral duty to protect both born and unborn child. Nurses must understand their role and
responsibility related to their profession and must not come under the influence of patient
autonomy. From moral point of view killing of fetus means deprive them of future value. This
loss can be considered bad which means taking innocent life is wrong. Don Marquis was against
concept that abortion is not linked with logical promises (Palmer, 2009). In countries, where
abortion is prohibited results in back street abortion or illegal abortion which result in injury,
infection or risk to the life of the mother. In addition, in future women will not be able to live a
healthy life. Some believe that matter is not whether embryo deserves respect but it is about
respect given to a life that is not aware. It is not right to compel women to keep unwanted
children. It is their personal choice whether they have to keep fetus or not in order to prevent
their fundamental goals. If abortion is denied it will push women in to reproductive end and
therefore abortion can prevent them which may be morally wrong from society point of view
(Heichel, Knill and Schmitt, 2013). But at the same time abortion must not considered wrong
because there are some situations were risk of life is more to mother than baby. In this situation,
doctors have only one choice which is to do abortion in order to save life of mother. In cases,
embryonic stem develops into abnormal stem cell in which abortion becomes necessary because
it is better to destroy future of something which has no future. Like other human being fetus has
same right to life and must not be deprived of their fundamental right until situation is not
complicated. Ethical principles of health care own certain core values which ensure duty and
rights of the person associated with this sector. There are mainly three professional cover values
which can raise conflict in nursing professionals. First is beneficence which is related to action
that promotes positive results (Waldron, 2009). Second is non-maleficence which is related to
obligations that helps in avoiding harm and third is promote justice by involving policies against
discrimination on the back social and economic background while taking decision. In this way,
abortion puts nurses into distress situations because of which they face difficulty in making
balance between moral values. In addition, care should be taken that in any situation, nurses must
not put their personal beliefs in action in order to eliminate chances of threat to the life of
women. As per medical moral code of conduct, nurses are not illegible for conducting an
abortion.

Ethical and moral dilemma in abortion 5
Conclusion
After 1970, abortion was shifted from moral law to civil right in which women have full right to
take decision-related to their pregnancies. It is their fundamental right to have complete control
over their body. Ethical question has been raised related to moral and ethical aspect related to
abortion. But at the same time, it should not be seen from religious aspect because it is matter of
someone life and death. Earlier believe related to abortion was that it is immoral to kill any
innocent life and therefore was considered as wrong action. Personal hood has created
disagreement related to fetus through person and become person. It creates moral distress on
healthcare professionals regarding right or wrong of abortion process. Therefore, abortion is
sometimes connected with values. Nurses must not involve themselves in abortion process
because it is not only immoral but also unethical from nursing profession point of view.

Ethical and moral dilemma in abortion 6
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