Ethical Issues in Health
Ethical Issues in Health
Abortion
Abortion is one of the most polarising moral issues in today’s society. It presents an ethical dilemma for many people and especially all healthcare professionals involved. Firstly, this essay will begin by briefly outlining the highly controversial issue of abortion, discuss why this topic draws fierce debate, for and against, and explain the current legal standing in the UK today. It will then move on to explain how different ethical models can be used in relation to ethical dilemmas, in particular Thiroux’s Five Principles of Ethic’s. Using this model to discuss how each principle individually applies to this contested issue it will then conclude by summarising and highlighting the main conflicts regarding abortion.
The oxford dictionary defines abortion as ‘the expulsion of a foetus from the womb before it is able to survive independently and the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy’ (www.oxforddictionaries.com). This can be a very painful topic with many issues causing debate. Answering all of the surrounding issues can be extremely complex, with many factors having to be taken into account as each person has their own individual and personal reasons for abortion. Currently in the UK abortion is legal and, in accordance with The Abortion Act 1967, must be carried out before 24 weeks of pregnancy, although there are certain exceptions when the law states that an abortion may be carried out later. The Act also states certain criteria that must be met which includes: - two doctors must agree that an abortion would cause less damage to a woman's physical or mental health than continuing with the pregnancy and abortions must be carried out in a hospital or a specialised licensed clinic (Jackson, 2001). There are different methods of abortion, depending on the length of pregnancy, which include the abortion pill for pregnancies up to 9 weeks and surgical methods for further progressed pregnancies which involve the use
Abortion
Abortion is one of the most polarising moral issues in today’s society. It presents an ethical dilemma for many people and especially all healthcare professionals involved. Firstly, this essay will begin by briefly outlining the highly controversial issue of abortion, discuss why this topic draws fierce debate, for and against, and explain the current legal standing in the UK today. It will then move on to explain how different ethical models can be used in relation to ethical dilemmas, in particular Thiroux’s Five Principles of Ethic’s. Using this model to discuss how each principle individually applies to this contested issue it will then conclude by summarising and highlighting the main conflicts regarding abortion.
The oxford dictionary defines abortion as ‘the expulsion of a foetus from the womb before it is able to survive independently and the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy’ (www.oxforddictionaries.com). This can be a very painful topic with many issues causing debate. Answering all of the surrounding issues can be extremely complex, with many factors having to be taken into account as each person has their own individual and personal reasons for abortion. Currently in the UK abortion is legal and, in accordance with The Abortion Act 1967, must be carried out before 24 weeks of pregnancy, although there are certain exceptions when the law states that an abortion may be carried out later. The Act also states certain criteria that must be met which includes: - two doctors must agree that an abortion would cause less damage to a woman's physical or mental health than continuing with the pregnancy and abortions must be carried out in a hospital or a specialised licensed clinic (Jackson, 2001). There are different methods of abortion, depending on the length of pregnancy, which include the abortion pill for pregnancies up to 9 weeks and surgical methods for further progressed pregnancies which involve the use
References: Edwards, M, 2008, The Informed Practice Nurse, West Sussex, John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Francome, C, 2004, Abortion in the USA and the UK, Hants, Ashgate Publishing Limited. French, K, 2009, Sexual Health – Essential clinical skills for nurses, West Sussex, Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Jackson, E, 2001, Regulating Reproduction – Law, Technology and Reproduction, Oxford, Hart Publishing Ltd. Kaczor, C, 2011, The ethics of abortion- Women’s rights, human life, and the question of justice, Oxon, Routledge. Legge, J, S, 1985, Abortion policy – An evaluation of the consequences for maternal and infant health, Albany, State University of New York Press. Levine, P, B, 2004, Sex and Consequences- Abortion, public policy and the economics of fertility, Oxfordshire, Princeton University Press. Weiss, A, E, 2001, Adoptions Today-Questions and controversies, Connecticut, Twenty-First Century Books.