Article: Abortion
As a student who wants to go on to medical school and later the medical field, I have to be prepared to answer a lot of difficult questions about ethical matters. We are told in preparing for our medical school interviews to consider important ethically conflicting matters, and be sure to have an opinion on it we can defend. Most of these things are straight forward, but one that has been in the news for years and is still relevant is abortion. This topic continues to dominate the press despite having Supreme Court decisions on it and being prevalent for so many years. Most decisions that go to the Supreme Court are accepted after they have been made even if it takes a while. But not abortion. Despite the decision made, there are still many activists on both sides. I wish to know the thought process behind the decisions on each side.Up until this point I have considered myself pro-choice but anti-abortion, which I realize is very controversial in itself. I only mean that I believe it should be up to the woman carrying the baby what happens to it, but it isn't a decision that should be taken lightly. I would hate to say we need to put regulations or applications into the already trying process but I don't know how we can fix the problem. As we saw in class, it is a very serious process that is extremely situationally specific, which is why it is so hard to regulate. No one should be able to tell someone else what they can and can't do with their body; however, if one considers the fetus living does the mother have the right to determine what happens to that life? What constitutes life?
With all of that being said, I don't want this presentation to be a catalyst for an argument, I simply want to hear everyone's opinions so that I may better shape my own. It is my hope that this presentation will prepare me for the questions they may ask me about it in a medical interview setting. I don't intend to embarrass or argue with anyone.
I will be providing an objective point of view (to the best of my abilities), mostly just contributing facts to the discussion to better guide it. My research up until this point has educated me on aspects of this topic I had not known about before. This article is wonderful about explaining the process in a mostly objective manner. I don't expect anyone to read the whole thing, just to the end of what my quiz covers. The rest of the information I will cover in my Prezi. I trust the people in this class to respect each other's opinions, and to fell comfortable enough to share their own. I recognize that this topic is very controversial, but that is why I need to be prepared to discuss it with all points of view in mind. Thank you all in advance, I look forward to hearing your opinions on Thursday!
Quiz Questions
1. What percentage of women will end a pregnancy by abortion at some time in their reproductive lives?2. What are five characteristics of the "typical woman" who ends her pregnancy early?
3. T/F The US Supreme Court legalized abortion in the well-known Roe v Wade decision in 1973.
4. How many abortions are performed each year in the United States?
5. T/F Illegal abortions are unsafe and account for 13% of all deaths of women because of serious complications.
6. Some states require the woman planning on getting an abortion to notify their ________ if they are under aged, or their _________ if they have one.
7. What state started the enactment of a series of laws restricting abortion, punishing providers, and, in some cases, punishing the woman who was seeking the abortion?
8. What was the first US federal law on the subject?
9. When were abortions were prohibited by law?
10. In 1973, the Roe v Wade law, in the opinion written by US Supreme Court justice Harry Blackmun, the court ruled that a woman had a right to an abortion during what part of the pregnancy?
11. Define viability.
12. What three clauses made the Planned Parenthood v Casey decision controversial?
13. What percentage of young women (younger than 18 years) involve their parents in their decision to abort?
14. What definition broadly includes all methods of second-trimester abortion (done after the first three months of pregnancy)?
15. What Supreme Court decision states that the act of termination of fetal life cannot occur in a partially extracted fetus?
Discussion Questions
1. Should spouses or parents be notified?
2. Should there be mandatory waiting periods before an abortion can take place?
3. Should public funds be used for abortions?
4. What regulations if any should apply to abortion providers?
5. What provisions might be made against specific abortion techniques?
6. Should emergency contraception be allowed?
7. Should the rules be different in cases of sexual assault and rape?
Prezi: Presentation
I really appreciated how you mentioned that this is a common bioethical question asked for medical interviews. This is such an interesting debate. As you mentioned, there is not true way to handle this with a single blanket statement, since every situation must be handled on a case to case basis. For instance, would you tell a pregnant rape victim she can have an abortion but not a mother carrying a child that is not even guaranteed to live 15 minutes after birth? What about vice versa? Would you give the same right to abortion to an individual who wants an abortion just because of accidental pregnancy, but if she doesn't feel ready then she certainly knows best, right? Every angle of this debate is met with controversy and prejudice that varies from person to person. I appreciated your inclusion of the legal side of the debate, as the law is an important matter to keep in mind, especially in the scopes of ethics and medicine.
ReplyDeleteDiscussion questions:
ReplyDelete1. I think they should especially spouse because it is something that will affect not just the mother but also other close people around her. And at the same time, you would not want your spouse to go through that by herself.
2. I think there should be.
3. If they were going to use public funds then it should under extreme circumstances.
4. Honestly, I am not sure but maybe starting with reason would be a good start, if you are getting abortion just because you are not careful I think some kind of regulation needs to be added for that but if abortion is needed for health reasons of the mother than this is different story.
5. I honestly do not know.
6. Yes I think if baby dangers mother, basically if you choose baby's life or mother, I think an option should be available
7. Yes
"Pro-choice but anti-abortion" may strike some as inconsistent, but I think it's a perfectly rational point of view. It acknowledges the intrinsic value of ALL life, mother's and potential child's, and insists that women are entitled to exercise their rights of autonomy in matters that affect their own lives and well-being. It also urges women, and us all, to respect and not casually disregard the potential lives of the unborn. Sadly, this debate - like so many contemporary debates - has become polarized and partisan, hence uncharitable towards those with honest differences of opinion. A more thoughtful conversation, as reflected in this post, is so badly needed.
ReplyDeleteI had an interesting conversation with a friend, about our discussion in class, and he totally changed my stance on abortion; I understand that it is the women's choice, however I think that is ending the life of a child. He showed me a video of the fertilization process and how the embryo emits light as soon as it is fertilized. I feel like there are many precautions that can be taken before a child is conceived and should be taken. I don't think that an abortion should be the only method of birth control. Contraceptives have come a long way and should be used in any case that pregnancy is not preferred. However, I don't find that abortion should be outright banned.
ReplyDelete