Ethics in Nursing

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nIntroduction

nElective abortion is type of induced abortion where the mother requests to terminate pregnancy without any medical reasons. In addition, it also refers to deliberate disturbance of a fetus growth through any method prior to the twentieth week of conception (Wardle, 2016). In the United States, the numbers of elective abortions have increased in the recent past, which raises ethical issues among nurses. Elective abortion becomes an ethical concern in the society because it unjustly takes away the human life (Keown, 2012). Therefore, terminating the prenatal life should not be done without convincing medical backgrounds.

nVarious scholars suggest that abortion can be ethically reasonable during the cases of ectopic pregnancy and selective pregnancy especially when a pregnant mother has conceived several fetuses. In addition, abortion is approved especially in case of defective fetuses such as genetic defects, anencephaly especially trisomy 18 and trisomy 13 (Lee, 2010). However, abortion becomes admissible when there are no medical grounds that can affect the life of the mother (Catalano, 2015). Moreover, the dilemma arises on whether a fetus has rights just like other people. Opponents of elective abortion argue that it is ethically wrong to terminate the life of an innocent individual (Keown, 2012). In this regard, a fetus is considered an innocent being. For this reason, it is ethically inadmissible to lay off the life of a fetus.

nMost of the controversies on elective abortion focus on the issue whether a fetus should be considered an individual or not (Sher, (Ed.). 2012). Then, if the fetus is an individual, he/she should be accorded all human rights particularly the right to life. In other words, the idea of personhood is the link that unites the rights to life with the fetus (Wardle, 2016). The concept of personhood includes major characteristics such as potentiality, viability, existence of soul, individuality, genetic structure and part of human species. Similarly, a fetus has a future just like the normal human being hence ending his/her future is ethically wrong (Lee, 2010). It is ethically unacceptable to murder humans that would have a future like other people if they had a chance to exist. For instance, if the pregnancy were not terminated without proper medical reason, the born child would probably have a good future (Pozgar, 2014). Therefore, mothers must not be allowed to terminate their pregnancy because they do not consider the rights of the fetuses.

nKaczor, (2014) noted that encouraging elective abortion increases acceptance of killing the innocent people. Since the fetus is guiltless, permitting elective abortion is ethically wrong. In fact, allowing elective abortion is like authorizing killing, which minimizes the respect of life in the society (Kaczor, 2014). Indeed, it facilitates anarchy in the society because blameless prenatal lives would be lost. Eliminating the respect for lie in the society is a dangerous thing because it may result to higher murder rates, genocide and euthanasia (Keown, 2012). Elective abortion also causes moral issues because it causes unnecessary suffering and pain to the fetus. Research indicates that by 18th week a fetus is full established to feel pain. Therefore, since elective abortion does not seek medical guidelines, it causes unfair suffering to the fetus hence it is ethically wrong. For this reason, elective abortion should not be encouraged (Pozgar, 2014).

nWardle, (2016) argued that people must be accountable for the consequences of their deeds. In this regard, the scholar suggested that elective abortion is morally unacceptable where the mother willingly engages in sexual activities not for the fetus moral status but because of the mothers responsibilities (Wardle, 2016). Therefore, in an individual willingly act in a manner that leads to pregnancy, then, she has a role to safeguard the life of that fetus or person. However, such should apply if the fetus does not cause negative health effect to the mother. In this regard, opponents of elective abortion imply that it is morally wrong if the mother accepted sex willingly (Baird & Rosenbaum, 2001). Precisely, a mother had a right to select whether or not to conceive. She decides prior to sexual intercourse. Furthermore, she has a right to use protection or other birth control methods. On the contrary, engaging in elective abortion after failing to use birth control methods is an unethical act (McWay, 2015). Therefore, an individual must accept the result of risks, which she willingly and knowingly takes. A woman who freely had sexual intercourse understands that she engages in the risk of conceiving a fetus (Devettere, 2009). In this regard, a woman who conceives must embrace pregnant because of willingly engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse. Therefore, she has a moral obligation to care for the fetus until she gives birth. In so doing, she permits the consequent fetus to be born (Wardle, 2016). In this way, elective abortion does not ensure that the mother should be accountable for her actions especially freely engaging in sex.

nConclusion

nElective abortion provides serious controversies on its ethical principle because it involves termination of pregnancy without medical grounds. Therefore, it violates the rights of a fetus because it is innocent (Wardle, 2016). Moreover, since the fetus is a normal human being, elective abortion eliminates the chances of having a prospective future. Finally, it also does not hold the mother accountable for engaging in sexual intercourse willingly and perceptively (Baird & Rosenbaum, 2001). Therefore, elective abortion is ethically unacceptable.

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nReferences

nBaird, R. M., & Rosenbaum, S. E. (2001). The ethics of abortion: pro-life vs. pro-choice.

nCatalano, J. T. (2015). Nursing now! Today’s issues, tomorrow’s trends. FA Davis.

nDevettere, R. J. (2009). Practical decision making in health care ethics: Cases and concepts. Georgetown University Press.

nKaczor, C. (2014). The ethics of abortion: Womens rights, human life, and the question of justice. Routledge.

nKeown, J. (2012). The Law and Ethics of Medicine: Essays on the Inviolability of Human Life. Oxford University Press on Demand.

nLee, P. (2010). Abortion and unborn human life. CUA Press.

nMcWay, D. C. (2015). Legal and ethical aspects of health information management. Cengage Learning.

nPozgar, G. D. (2014). Legal and ethical issues for health professionals. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

nSher, G. (Ed.). (2012). Ethics: essential readings in moral theory. Routledge.

nWardle, L. D. (2016). Suffer the Little Children: Elective Abortion as a Sign of Diminished Societal Compassion.