Moral Decision Making: Thinking Ethically

Perhaps one ot the most heated debates in healthcare ethics centers around the topic of abortion.  Both the ethics and the legality of partial-birth abortions have been scrutinized in recent years.  Using the South University Online Library or the Internet, research and read at least two articles on court decisions that affect partial-birth abortions.  Based on your readings and research, answer the following questions:

  • What are the arguments for abortion and against abortion?  Give one example of arguments for each side based on a healthcare professional’s codes of ethics of your choice.
  • How do the court decisions discussed in the article affect this issue?  Support your argument by using an ethical theory.
  • When does the autonomy or privacy of the pregnant woman give way to other concerns?
  • Does the fetus have rights?  If yes, on what ethicals basis are disputes between the rights of the fetus and the rights of the pregnant woman to be settled?
  • References