1. Ethics: Theory and Practice
Jacques P. Thiroux
Keith W. Krasemann

2. Chapter Eleven
Abortion

3. Introduction to the Abortion Issue
Definition of terms:
Abortion is the premature termination of a pregnancy
A spontaneous abortion is a miscarriage
An induced abortion is caused by the woman herself or by another, usually a doctor
Zygote is a cell or group of cells that results from the union of the sperm and egg cells

4. Introduction to the Abortion Issue
Definition of terms:
Embryo is a term to describe the conceptus between the second and eighth weeks of gestation
Fetus is the term used to describe the conceptus from the eighth week onward until birth
Child is the term normally used after the conceptus is born

5. Introduction to the Abortion Issue
Definition of terms:
Conceptus is a neutral term that means “that which has been conceived”
Viability is the period of pregnancy somewhere between the 26th and 28th weeks when the conceptus is considered able to survive outside the mother’s womb

6. Introduction to the Abortion Issue
Definition of terms:
Amniocentesis is the procedure that can be performed after the 16th week to reveal information like gender and possible deformities
Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) is another tool that can be used to diagnose genetic defects in the fetus as early as the ninth week of pregnancy

7. The Abortion Problem
Two basic principles come into conflict in relation to abortion: the Value of Life Principle and the Principle of Individual Freedom
When does human life begin, and at what point is it to be valued and protected?
Abortion involves two conflicting absolutes:
A conceptus has an absolute right to life
A woman has absolute rights over her body/ life

8. The Legal Status of Abortion in the United States
Abortion has gone through various stages of acceptance and rejection in American history
In 1973, the Supreme Court essentially made abortion legal in the first two trimesters of a woman’s pregnancy but allowed states to forbid abortion in the third trimester except in the case of a serious threat to the life of the mother

9. The Legal Status of Abortion in the United States
In July 1989, in Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, the Court allowed states to put some restrictions on abortions when federal and state funds were used and did away with the trimester system
In July 1992, in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the Court allowed further restrictions while at the same time upholding a woman’s right to choice

10. When Does Human Life Begin?
Life is present from conception, and from this point on it develops
Key stages:
All human life starts from an egg the size of a period at the end of a sentence
By the third week the embryo is developing various parts
By the end of the fourth week, its heart begins to beat

11. When Does Human Life Begin?
Key stages cont’d:
By the fifth week, divisions of the brain occur, and developing eyes and limb buds appear
By the sixth week, it is about half an inch long, its eyes are still on the sides of the head, and it is developing slits where its mouth and nose will be

12. When Does Human Life Begin?
Key stages cont’d:
By the seventh week, sexual characteristics can be discerned, and the face is mammalian but somewhat pig-like
By the end of the eighth week, the face resembles a primate’s, there is some lower brain anatomy, and the fetus has reflex reactions

13. When Does Human Life Begin?
Key stages cont’d:
By the fifth month, the mother can feel the fetus move; lungs begin to develop during the sixth month, and human brain activity begins at about the seventh month
Brain waves with regular patterns typical of adult humans begin only at about the thirtieth week of pregnancy

14. Arguments Against Abortion
Believes in the genetic view of the beginning of human life – that human life begins at conception
The sanctity of human life:
The right to life is absolute, especially the right of innocent, unborn life
Every unborn “child” must be regarded as a human person with all the rights of a person from the moment of conception on

15. Arguments Against Abortion
The Domino argument
One proof of its validity cited by pro-life groups is that Hitler started his history of atrocities by legalizing abortion
Abortion is both medically and psychologically harmful to women
The danger of pregnancy to a mother’s life is almost nonexistent because of medical and technological advances

16. Arguments Against Abortion
There are viable alternatives to abortion
Adoption, child welfare agencies
Economics cannot be a consideration when human life is concerned
Women must accept full responsibility for their sexual activities
Innocent life cannot be sacrificed because of carelessness or indiscretion

17. Arguments Against Abortion
Rape or incest usually do not present problems because contraceptives often can be used in time
When they can’t, however, even such means of conception do not justify the taking of innocent lives

18. Arguments for Abortion
Women have absolute rights over their bodies, and the conceptus is part of a woman’s body until birth
A conceptus cannot be considered a human life until birth

19. Arguments for Abortion
Unwanted/deformed children should not be brought into the world
Abortion is more responsible than burdening society

20. Arguments for Abortion
Abortion is a no-risk medical procedure
Medical and psychological problems are much greater for women who go through pregnancies than for those who have abortions
The Domino argument used by pro-life groups is not supported by hard evidence
Hitler’s overall motives for permitting abortions were not at all the same as the motives of today’s women

21. Arguments for Abortion
Pregnancies resulting from rape and incest should never have to be gone through by any women, because of the horror of the circumstances of the conception

22. Arguments for Abortion
Women do have responsibilities for their sexual activities, and having abortions when necessary is a part of these responsibilities
Abortion is and must be totally a matter of the woman’s choice – no one else should be able to interfere

23. The More Moderate Positions on Abortion
The strong pro-life and pro-choice positions present an unresolvable conflict of absolutes
There is no absolute right to life, even though the Value of Life principle is important
There is also no absolute right over one’s body and life, even though it is a strong right

24. The More Moderate Positions on Abortion
The problem of when life begins may be considered through a synthesis
The pro-life position draws the line (for when life begins) too early
The moderate favors the developmental view of when life beings, which states that life does indeed begin at conception but gains value as it develops through the gestation period