...Wade ruling numerous cases were presented to the Supreme Court to challenge the ruling. A case in 1976 ruled that is was unconstitutional for pregnant women to be required to obtain consent from their husband before having an abortion. This case also ruled that single minor under 18 did not have to have parental consent to obtain abortion. In 1977, the Supreme Court ruled that states may refuse to spend their public funds on nontherapeutic abortions. In 1980, the Court ruled that states did not have to pay for therapeutic abortions but the state could if they wanted to. In 1981, the Court ruled that states could require parental notice of immature minors seeking abortions, however states cannot allow blanket power for parents to veto their daughter’s abortion. In 1990, the Court prohibited federally funded family planning clinics from giving abortion advice. In 1992, the Court ruled that it was an undue burden to require spousal consent for women seeking an abortion before the fetus was viable. As a result, women can now seek abortions up into the second trimester, or anytime if the mother’s health is at...
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...A current issue of controversy is abortion, which has polarized the national community and is a current hot topic in the Presidential debates. Two groups of abortion include the people who are pro-life who believe that there is a right to life before conception. This is based on moral and ethical issues as well as religious implications. The opposing group believes that life does not begin until after the baby is born and that the family has the right to choose. A feminist would describe the roots of this problem as based in the woman’s reproductive right to choose. A woman should have the right to their body and their health and that they should the freedom to choose their own life (Schoen, 2000). This is also evident in rape and incest cases where many feel that abortion needs to be an option after an involuntary event where a woman did not have the right to her own body. Political and ethical theories that are evident in this controversy include deontological and consequentialism (Canario, 2011). Those who are pro-abortion may follow consequentialism because they are concerned about the consequences of the abortion (or not having an abortion) which may mean health issues for the mother, sustaining a family that a parent can clearly not take care or long term issues of care for the child. Those who are anti-abortion can be seen as being deontological because they believe that the mother has a moral duty to society and to their religion or other beliefs that the child’s...
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...Abortion: The Beginning and End of Life [Author] [University Affiliation] Abortion: The Beginning and End of Life Abstract In the United States, more than 6 million pregnancies are unwanted annually, with 40% of these opting for an abortion (CDC, 2012). Eight women die every hour worldwide due to unsafe and illegal abortions. The women who go for the unsafe abortions are normally from very poor backgrounds and have no relevant know-how regarding the various family planning methods available. Half of the pregnancies reported annually are unplanned for, and if a woman decides to abort, then the damage is mild. However, making abortions legal worldwide helps reduce the total number of lives of the women who die as a result of unsafe abortions. When a woman dies from undergoing an unsafe abortion, it is a double loss to society because both the mother and the fetus are lost. An abortion carried out by doctors when the woman’s life is at stake has no effect on the society, as it is both ethical and legally accepted within the societal framework. 1.0 Issue- Introductory Analysis It is after a life is lost that abortion begins to intrigue various essential variables. Abortion is a bioethical issue with the attached effects affecting the society at range, in every perspective. Many lives been lost by the women and the fetus; however to be able to synchronize the issue requires analyses of the factors surrounding it. There are some factors that...
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...Ethical Implications of Assisted Reproduction The ethical implications of assisted reproduction are obvious. There is no doubt the process of assisted reproduction has caused more harm than good as massive killing of unwanted fertilized embryos are carried out during the process. Also some of the babies born through this process have some serious physical and genetic deformities that make some of their parents regret having them. Even a doctor once asserted that he did not get into assisted reproduction to help in creating severely damaged babies (Pence 88). This concern expressed by a physician shows how ethically horrendous assisted reproduction could be. Assisted reproduction has been a hotly debated issue in recent times mainly because of its ethical implications. Despite the ethical implications, assisted reproduction also has some moral, social, and religious concerns coupled with some psychological and biological or genetic implications both to the conceived embryos and their mothers. It is not an overstatement to adduce that there are disastrous health implications and consequences associated with assisted reproduction, which more often than not are overlooked by physicians and those desperate for children. There are three main types of assisted reproduction namely – artificial insemination, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), and surrogacy. The ethical concern of these procedures is that they are unnatural method of conception, creating life in the laboratory, and fertilizing...
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...Ethical concerns about stem cell research What is stem cell research? ‘’Stem cell research is a relatively new technology that takes primitive human cells and develops them into most any of the 220 varieties of cells in the human body.’’ What is stem cell research? ‘’Stem cell research is a relatively new technology that takes primitive human cells and develops them into most any of the 220 varieties of cells in the human body.’’ * It is the destruction of a human embryo that could grow into a baby * The stem cells are taken from pluripotent cells in human embryos (ethical concern) * If done once it could be repeated several times after for various other researches. * Not all ethical concerns and implications have been met * Very expensive * Till now, no human being has ever been cured of a disease using embryonic stem cells. * ‘We should (and will) develop more ethical methods (e.g. adult stem cells) which will enable us to research ethically.’ * It is the destruction of a human embryo that could grow into a baby * The stem cells are taken from pluripotent cells in human embryos (ethical concern) * If done once it could be repeated several times after for various other researches. * Not all ethical concerns and implications have been met * Very expensive * Till now, no human being has ever been cured of a disease using embryonic stem cells. * ‘We should (and will) develop more ethical methods (e.g. adult...
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...Religious Studies Achievement Standard 3.3 Analyse the response of a religious tradition to a contemporary ethical issue. Ethical Relating to moral principles or the branch of knowledge dealing with these. (of a medicine) legally available only on a doctor's prescription and usually not advertised to the general public. Ethical Issue: Abortion: Abortion is the deliberate termination of a pregnancy before the normal time of childbirth, usually performed during the first 28 weeks after the baby has been conceived. Abortion: The debate of abortion asks us whether it can be morally right to terminate a pregnancy before the time of normal childbirth. Some think abortion is always wrong, no matter what the excuse. Then there are others that...
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...This implication aimed to protect patients from abuse and paved a safely contained path for medical and scientific implementation. According to Braswell “autonomy,” “paternalism” and “informed consent” were presented to form a clear vision of the individual subject (Braswell, 2011, p.78). Bioethicists are demanded to have an accurate portrayal of bioethical issues, especially because inaccurate representations of issues has tremendous impacts on the average consumer and leads to misconceptions within the population. Uncheck bioethics, “when applied in social contexts, can lead to the exploitation of the populations they were designed to defend” (Braswell, 2011, p.78). If such an issue persists, the possibility of alternative ideas of medical care will be significantly restricted. The intangible richness of dignity mirrors the infinite fullness of human beings, which, unlike physical or chemical concepts, can never be apprehended in a single, closed definition. As Christians, we need to know the underlying truths and balancing relevant scriptural principles with the implications of the technological intermediations, seeking wisdom and the guidance of the Holy Spirit as to how each is to enlighten the other (Jones, 2016). It is crucial that bioethicists do not solely rely on perfunctory...
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... Prenatal Genetic Testing and The Ethical Controversies SBI3U 15 April 2015 1 PRENATAL GENETIC TESTING 2 Prenatal Genetic Testing and The Ethical Controversies Introduction Every introduction should start with a shocking fact about the topic, generally to piqué the interest of the reader. The problem is, surrounding the topic of prenatal genetic testing, there isn’t anything that is particularly shocking or interesting anymore. Anything that has a potential to injure a ‘helpless’ fetus, the public has already been informed of and the information has already been extremely exaggerated. The myth of prenatal genetic testing being dangerous has been greatly over told, and is a rather old notion according to a great number of medical journals such as: United States National Library (Gates, 2009), UConn (Pennington, 2011), and many others listed in the references page. Prenatal genetic testing is the process of testing for potential genetic disorders or defects. Doctors and geneticist can now test for over 4000 diseases that are caused or influenced by a fetus’ genetic makeup. The tests can be invasive or noninvasive, and the risks associated with both categories of tests have been greatly reduced since genetic testing was first introduced to modern medicine. Although the risks to the mother and the fetus, there are still many ethical controversies discussed among people who ...
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...Abortion Abortion is controversial subject, which many people like to avoid. It is important to discuss such widespread social issue, with serious implication to hundreds of people and can increased moral consequences if not discussed, as many people have different attitudes towards abortion. Abortion can take place for various reasons, such as being afraid of financial hardship that child would bring, being subject to rape or incest, unstable relationships and sometimes may be an inconvenience to the woman who is career driven. With such reasoning to justify abortion raises many moral questions like ‘when does a human life which is morally equal to our own being? Pope John Paul II defines abortion in Evangelium Vitae as “a deliberate, lethal attack on the body of the child- with or without the aim of ending its life. The church has always condemned the act of abortion as the Catholic Christians believe that life is sacred from conception until natural death. Although, there is no clear mention of abortion in the bible, besides references to the treatment of pregnant women in war that can lead to killing of the unborn child. The church believes that the taking of an innocent life whether born or unborn is morally wrong. The churches view on abortion is backed up by a passage from the Declaration on Procured Abortion 1974: “Human life is precious. Infused by the creator, life is again taken back by him.”(Gn 2:7) and he will demand an account for it, for in the image of God...
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...Abortion Ethical issues continue to weigh heavily in the way healthcare is delivered in the United States. Diversity makes the most sensitive issues settle in a grey area, rather than simply black or white. Many believe that abortion is ethically justified, when others believe it is morally wrong. The ethical differences in opinions will be explored in the following paragraphs, analyzing the issue from different perspectives. Yet the act of abortion appears to break the vows of non-maleficence that health professionals must remain committed to uphold. According to John Stuart Mill, utilitarianism is a moral theory of ethics in which “an act’s of rightness or wrongness resides either in the nature of the act itself or in the results that the act brings about” (Mill, 2001). In today’s modern society, the utilitarian theory alone accounts for society’s understanding of virtue. The definition of utilitarianism according to Baillie, H.W., McGeehan, J., Garrett, T.M., and Garrett, R.M.(2013 p.4), in Health Ethics states: “Utilitarianism is social consequentialism, that holds that one should act so as to do the greatest good for the greatest number.” Based on the insight of these authors, refraining from abortion contributes to the greater good of not only the childbearing woman, but also to the greater good of society. Many base their argument of abortion on physiological, physical, even socio-economic reasons, but the act unknowingly causes more damage to the woman than one...
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...In your opinion, when does life begin and what are the ethical implications of your position? While some suggest that life is a continuum as gametes link generations, it is the society’s general view that life begins at a distinct time point. To many, life begins at the time when we are born in the hospital as a baby. At that particular moment, an individual is officially declared as “born” and thus be granted an identify in the society. Seemingly, life of an individual begins at birth. However, debates on when life begins have been on-going throughout human history due to its significant ethical, biomedical and philosophical consequences. Despite the many factors we need to consider when thinking about when life begins, Dr. Ricki Lewis, a science writer with a PhD in genetics, managed to narrow down the options to 17 time points, based primarily on biomedical factors. Amongst these time points, I believe life begins at week 22 of pregnancy. In this essay, I will support my stance by comparing it to some other major arguments. The ethical implications of my stance will also be illustrated and discussed. Life begins only when an organism has the ability to survive. When we discuss when life begins, it is important to define what life is. There are three definitions of life, said Dr. Chris McKay on his article. Life can be referred to a collective understanding of a system of material entitles that can undergo evolution (i.e. when we are asking if there is any life...
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...SELECTION Is Gender Selection of a Fetus Ethical? Emily Myer Grand Canyon University NRS 437V 08.21.2010 Gender Selection It is a commonly known fact that countries such as China and India prize their male children far above their females. Investigations have also shown that many parents in these countries have been illegally aborting these less desirable female children as a means of gender selection. As a result, it is estimated that there will be nearly 60 million more men of marriageable age in China than women by the year 2050. (The Economist, 2011) A recent technological development published in the Journal of the American Medical Association report that, “a new maternal blood test can determine a fetus’ sex as early as seven weeks into a pregnancy” (Ravitsky, 2011). Is it possible that this technology, in and of itself, can pose an ethical threat to humanity? Some are already saying that it does. One such critic is Vardit Ravitsky, an assistant professor in the bioethics program at the University of Montreal. She is also the editor of “The Penn Center Guide to Bioethics”. In her opinion piece published on CNN’s website, she asserts that this new technology is safer, less invasive, and more accurate than the options that are currently available to the public, making it much easier to use for non-medical purposes such as gender selection (Ravitsky, 2011). For the purpose of this assignment, the ethical implications of gender selection through the use of gender...
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...breathing at this very moment. Everyone is alive because God wanted to create them! The Bible says, “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.” Abortion is the termination of pregnancy before birth, resulting in, or accompanied by, the death of the fetus. It has become one of the most widely debated ethical issues of our time. Considering what is ethical and what is legal in terms of abortion becomes very complex. The ethical concerns that revolve around the abortion issue are those that encompass a great many ideals – both religious and personal – that have to do with an individual’s concept of right and wrong. To some, the ethical implications mean allowing the woman her right to choose; to others, it is no different than murder. Do you consider something with a beating heart a living creature? Likely, before a woman even has knowledge of being pregnant, at five weeks, a baby’s heart is already formed and beating. Therefore that would make abortion a form of murder. Murder is classified as taking another human life. The baby that is growing inside of a woman is dependent on her, so when the mother makes the choice to end the baby’s life, she is making the choice to murder another human. Our federal government must take a stand against the murder of innocent humans. Allowing abortions, including partial birth abortions is a step in the wrong direction....
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...reproductive issues often leave couples whom desire children with no other option than surrogacy. In the midst of the enjoyment for the arrival of a new baby, issues do arise, both moral and ethical. What is a Surrogate mother? A woman who bears a child on behalf of another woman, from her own egg fertilized either by the other woman's partner or from the implantation in her uterus of a fertilized egg from the other woman. Tom and Linda hired Crystal, a single mother living in Connecticut to be their surrogate mother. The surrogacy contract stated that Crystal was to be paid $20,000 and receive regular prenatal care and screenings. Were there any severe fatal birth defects with the fetus, Crystal would terminate the pregnancy as the contract stated. Five months pregnant, Crystal had a routine ultrasound, which showed that the fetus had a complex heart abnormality, a cyst in the brain, and a cleft palate. After birth, the baby would need a series of complicated operations; chances of normal life would be small. The doctor suggested Crystal that termination would be the most human option. After speaking with a counselor, Crystal new she was the only one who could give this baby the opportunity to experience life. Tom and Linda devastated over Crystal’s decision offered her $10,000 to have to abortion as a last resort. Given Crystal’s steadfast resolve, Tom and Linda as the genetic parents decided that they would take custody of the child upon birth and immediately surrender her to the...
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...I chose to write about abortion as my ethical dilemma, because it certainly has cross cultural implications and strong differing opinions. The act of abortion involves terminating a fetus before it gets to a certain level of maturity in the embryo and removing it from the uterus. It often results in the death of the fetus, but it can also be necessary due to the previous death of the fetus before the abortions was preformed. In the United States, and all over the world, there is a hot debate over weather abortion should be legal or not, and weather a woman should have control over weather she wishes to carry a baby to term or not. Those who are pro-life in the United States belief that at conception a fetus is a human with rights who must...
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