Veracity to Patients

Maternal-fetal issues spark complex and controversial debates in the field of biomedical ethics (Farber-Post, 1996). The conflicts arise when medical professionals try to determine to whom their ethical obligations are owed. Many ethicists argue that autonomy is precedential and, therefore, the duty of the medical staff is to the pregnant woman because it is her body, and she has a right to make decisions regarding her healthcare. Others argue that equally important ethical principles such as beneficence, nonmaleficence, and avoiding killing override the principle of autonomy, and therefore, these principles that govern actions towards the fetus, in particular the fetus’ right to life, demand that medical professionals override the mothers’ desires at times.
Case #2 is a perfect example of a case that causes one to question which ethical principles are most important and to whom those principles should be applied. Case #2 involves Jane Trause who has had a history of drug use and is currently pregnant. Upon being admitted into labor and delivery, it quickly becomes evident to medical staff that the fetus is medically unstable and needs to be delivered immediately. However, it is determined by the medical staff that the baby will not survive a natural delivery and that the only way the baby will be born alive is by a C-section. Jane and her husband Doug adamantly refuse to allow a C-section and remind the staff that they have a right to refuse treatment. The residents of the hospital must decide if they can morally respect Jane’s autonomy and allow her to deliver naturally, while putting the fetus’ life in jeopardy or if they will override Jane’s wishes and perform the C-section without her permission to ensure a safe delivery.
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...the consequences of their actions. If the physician in Jane’s case feels that it is necessary, he/she is allowed to seek court intervention and request the right to perform a C-section in order to save the baby. However, it is clear in Case #2 there is an emergency and therefore, there is not any time to seek court intervention. There are currently no laws in effect that penalize physicians that fail to seek court intervention (Deshpande & Oxford, 2012). However, in some cases in which a physician performs a C-section on a woman who previously refused the surgery, there may be legal ramifications. The woman may choose to press charges or seek legal action resulting in a case against the physician. As a patient, Jane has a right to make an autonomous decision regarding her healthcare and as a medical professional, the physician has a duty to respect Jane’s autonomy.