Bioethics of Moral Issue in Abortion

What is abortion?

⇒ Abortion is the expulsion of a living fetus from the mother’s womb before it is viable.

Reasons for abortion

• Economic Cost

• Family Planning

• Health

• Rape incest

• Age

• Society’s moralism

• Abortion150,000 to 750,000 abortion every year4,000 case of abortion annually in Manila.

Historical Background

• PHILIPPINES ARTICLE II, SECTION 12 OF THE 1986 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION

“The state recognizes the sanctity of life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception.

• Revised Penal Code of the Philippines (enacted in1930 and remains in effect today)Articles 256, 258 and 259 of

the Code mandate imprisonment for the woman who undergoes the abortion, as well as for any person who assists in the procedure, even if they be the woman’s parents, a physician or midwife.

TYPES of ABORTION

• NATURAL ABORTION/SPONTANEOUS ORACCIDENTAL ABORTION - The expulsion of the fetus through natural

or accidental causes.

• DIRECT OR INTENTIONAL ABORTION - Deliberately induced expulsion of a living fetus before it has become

viable.

• THERAPEUTIC ABORTION - Deliberately induced expulsion of a living fetus in order to save the mother from the

danger of death brought on by pregnancy.

• EUGENIC ABORTION/SELECTIVE ABORTION ORABORTION ON FETAL INDICATIONS- This is recommended in

cases where certain defects are discovered in the developing fetus.

• INDIRECT ABORTION - The removal of the fetus occurs as a secondary effect of a legitimate or licit action, which

is direct and primary object of the intention.

Viewpoints on Abortion

• The conservative

By: Rozelle Mae Birador

It declares that abortion is never permissible, or at most, is permissible if and only it is required to save the pregnant woman’s life, as in the case of the removal of cancerous uterus or the removal of the fallopian tube,or a part of it, because of ectopic pregnancy.

• The liberal

States that abortion is always permissible, whatever the state of fetal development may be. If women are truly to be liberated, this view contends, they must ultimately have full freedom to control their own reproductive capacities. “The fetus has no ontological status; it is neither an individual, human, nor a person, but only a tissue in a woman’s uterus; therefore, it possesses no rights and no moral status.”

• The moderate or intermediate

It holds that abortion is morally permissible up to certain stage of fetal development, or for some limited set of reasons sufficient to justify the taking of life in this or that special circumstances. As far as the moderates are concerned, the fetus attains ontological status at quickening or viability.

Methods of Abortion

• PLANTS AND PLANT PREPARATIONS -e.g.,Makabuhay, Essencia maravilosa

• PHYSICAL METHODS - Massage and abdominal pressure are applied by the hilot, or sometimes by the

pregnant woman herself.

• INSERTION OF CATHETERS - Women have been known to insert hangers,brooms, walis tingting.

• DILATION AND CURETTAGE - Usually, this is done with women who had already began the abortion, in

which case it is called completion curettage.

• MENSTRUAL REGULATION (MR) - This involves the use of suction or vacuum aspiration to terminate a

very early pregnancy.

• DRUGS - hese include medicines such as quinine, an anti-malarial; methylergometrin, a uterine stimulant

andmethotrexate, an anti-cancer drug.Bricanyl (terbutaline) is perceived as an abortifacient in large doses.

• DRUGS Misoprostol (Cytotec) - is actually a drug used to prevent ulcers but has abortion as a side effect.Another drug called RU486 (Mifepristone) is now legal in China and a few European countries.

• SALT POISONING - A needle is inserted through the mother’s abdomen and 50-250 ml of amniotic fluid is withdrawn and replaced with a solution of concentrated salt.

• HYSTEROTOMY Incisions - are made in the abdomen and uterus. The baby, placenta, and amniotic sac are removed.

MORAL ISSUES

THE TWO POSITIONS

• The pro-life position

• The pro-choice position

SANCTITY OF LIFE ARGUMENT

THE DOCTRINE OF DOUBLE EFFECT –By: Rozelle Mae Birador

• The course chosen must be good or at least morally neutral

• The good must not follow as a consequence of the secondary harmful effects

• The harm must never be intended but merely tolerated as casually connected with the good intended

• The good must outweigh the harm.

“HUMAN” OR “PERSON”-

• Consciousness of objects and events

• The ability to feel pain

• Reasoning

• Self-motivated activity

• The capacity to communicate

• A concept of the self

MORAL ISSUE

• THE VIABILITY ARGUMENT

• THE VIOLINIST ANALOGY

• THE RAPIDLY GROWING CHILD ANALOGY

• THE CARPET –SEED CHILDREN ANALOGY

• TRADITIONALISM VS. MODERNISM

ABORTION AND FREEDOM OF RELIGION

BIBLICAL VIEW POINT

• The LORD God formed the man from the dust of theground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,and the man became a living being(Genesis 2:7).

• The word of the LORD came to me, saying,"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;I appointed you as a prophet to the nations"(Jeremiah 1:4-5).

• You shall not murder.(Exodus 20:13)

REFERENCES

1. Edge, R. S. and Groves, J. R. (1999) Ethics of Health Care: A Guide for Clinical Practice (Second Edition). Albert Complex, Singapore: Delmar Publishers. pp. 180 – 2012. Timbreza, F. T. (2007) Bioethics and Moral Decisions. Quezon Avenue: C & E Publishing Inc.pp. 87 - 106

By: Rozelle Mae Birador