Ethics and Reproductive Rights

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Recommended: Catholic social teaching on abortion

The cornerstone of all human rights for individuals is the right to life that is afforded to us by society because we are human. The right to life has initiated the debate over exactly when life begins which has led to laws and regulations granting latitude to humans regarding reproductive rights. But regardless of the laws granting reproductive rights there a great many others that take issue with them based on their personal moral and ethical codes.

Ethical Conditions Under Which Physicians May Perform Abortions

Ethically physicians may perform indirect abortions if the life or health of the mother is at risk or in danger. Under the principle of double effect physicians in an attempt to remove a pathological condition that indirectly terminates the woman’s pregnancy is considered ethical by the Catholic Church (Ascension Health, Abortion, 2011). There are other physicians and many ethicists outside of Catholicism that feel the life or health of the mother must be protected regardless of the direct or indirect nature of the abortion and they too cite double effect. Bellieni & Buonocore (2006) report that it is an ethically accepted practice during in vitro fertilization (IVF) to cull embryos after the fertilization cycle in order to have a healthy child. Benatar (2006) states that those engaged in procreation that has a very high risk of harm then should be prohibited or prevented if the benefit outweighs the moral cost.

Applicable State and Federal Laws and Regulations Pertaining to Abortion

The best known and most controversial of the Federal laws regarding abortion is the Supreme Court ruling in 1973 on Roe v. Wade. The Supreme Court, under the 14th amendment overturned states laws that prohibited abortion granting...

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Bellieni, C. & Buonocore, G. (2006). Assisted Procreation: Too Little Consideration For The Babies? Ethics & Medicine, 22(2), 93-8. Retrieved February 7, 2011, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1129967071).

Benatar, D. (2006). Reproductive freedom and risk. Human Reproduction, 21(10), 2491-3. Retrieved February 7, 2011, from http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/content/21/10/2491.full.pdf+html.

Curlin, F. A., Lawrence, R. E., Chin, M. H. & Lantos, J. D. (2007). Religion, Conscience, and Controversial Clinical Practices. The New England Journal of Medicine, 356(6), 593-600. Retrieved February 19, 2011, from ProQuest Medical Library. (Document ID: 1212653521).

McLachlan, H. V. (1997). Bodies, rights and abortion. Journal of Medical Ethics, 23(3), 176. Retrieved February 19, 2011, from ProQuest Medical Library. (Document ID: 13074275).

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