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Ethical Issues In Health And Social Care Essay

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Ethics relates to a person’s or organisation’s moral principles which, along with their profession’s code of conduct and legislation, help health professionals make good judgements and decisions. Dilemmas arise when a choice must be made between two conflicting moral positions

This discussion debates the ethical dilemma created by a woman who refuses to engage in the care of her gestational diabetes mellitus. The situation has been discussed with her obstetrician and midwife and the woman and her husband have been provided with full education. Every possible strategy has been implemented and clearly documented, including the use of an interpreter, and the couple are well aware of the risk to the mother and her unborn baby. Despite this, they …show more content…
Until that time, the fetus has no legal rights In Australia, mothers are given ‘maternal immunity’ for any harm they cause to their fetus. They cannot be liable for any injuries until their baby is liveborn, as legally their duty of care only begins at that time. However, it is still possible for a child to sue its mother for the harm it suffered prior to its birth as Australian courts have made it possible for a mother’s duty of care to be established retrospectively if the injury could reasonably have been prevented. In America, there are many cases where mothers have been sued for damages they inflicted on their fetuses
There have been recent discussions on changing the law in Queensland to protect unborn babies whose mothers refuse to do so; however, this has been met with opposition and concerns of overreach and misuse by the state. Arguments against this relate to the failure to recognise the pregnant woman as a person who has rights, including her right to “bodily integrity” and informed consent being overruled in order to safeguard the fetus. There are also concerns that women may be discouraged from attending prenatal care when their rights are not

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