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Introduction To Abortion
What is Ethics?
The right or wrongness of an action.
e.g. Should we eat people?
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How about if you were in a plane crash and there was no food.
What is Medical Ethics?
Medical Ethics is specifically about actions that involve medical procedures.
There is some debate over whether or not the following procedures are morally right or wrong.
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This could be based on personal opinion, religious belief or own circumstances.
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Abortion
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Euthanasia
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Gender Reassignment
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Surrogacy
Hippocratic
Oath
Doctors will never knowingly harm a patient and will always act in the best interest of the patient.
However, it has been known in the past that doctors have chosen to abuse their power.
Task 1
Write down your answer to the following question:
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When do you think life begins?
When does Life Begin?
Some people believe that life begins when the human can display qualities such as rationality, emotions and can have experiences.
When does Life Begin?
Others say it is birth. However, people question this as a foetus can be born premature and survive, especially after 34 weeks.
When does Life Begin?
Some say it is when the human is accepted as a person e.g. given a name.
When does Life Begin?
Some believe this is the moment when the foetus can live outside the womb. However, in some of the best hospitals a 21 week old foetus can survive.
When does Life Begin?
Some people believe that the point at which a foetus becomes a person depends on its stage of development.
Some would say that this is when the foetus develops its main organs.
Others say it is when the foetus beings to move - approx 16 weeks.
Task 2
Look over the foetus evolution picture on the right.
Write down which week you think life begins AND give at least one detailed reason for your answer.
Foetus Evolution:
Conception to Birth
Development of the Foetus
Many pregnant women have their first ultrasound at 8 weeks and are able to see, even at such an early stage, that their baby is beginning to be recognisably human.
Task 3
Read over the 'Development of the Foetus'.
Does this change your opinion on when life begins?
Give at least 1 detailed reason for your answer.
Development of the Foetus
Some doctors say that, although the technology used to produce ultrasound pictures is fantastic, it does confuse people.
Donald Peebles, a scientist at the University of College Hospital London said in a newspaper interview that although the foetus clearly looks human at 12 weeks, proper sensory development takes place much later. He believed that there was a risk that pictures would make people assume the foetuses had more developed brains than is the case.
Ultra Sound Picture of Foetus at 12 weeks
When Exactly Does Life Begin?
Conception
Sperm and egg are believed to be from a living source.
This is mainly a Roman Catholic belief, but others may agree.
9 Weeks
First movements can be felt by the mother.
14 Days
Embryo attaches itself to the womb.
3 Weeks
Heart beat can be heard through an ultrasound machine
120 Days
Muslims believe that this is when the foetus gains a should, 120 days after conception.
This is when there is activity in the nervous system/brain.
Viability
This is when the foetus can survive on its own (24 weeks) - Abortion is legal (allowed) up until this time in the UK.
Birth
A baby is born and takes its first breaths in the outside world, totally independent from its mother.
Task 4
Read over the different coloured boxes of different beliefs.
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Complete the following sentences using this information:
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I think life begins at.... because....
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On the other hand, someone else might think life begins at.... because...
Task 5
Read over abortion in the UK.
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Using everything you have learnt about answer the following question:
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Is it ethically right to carry out an abortion at 24 weeks?
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Use the following sentence structure to help you answer the question:
In my opinion it would be ethically......(wrong/right) for an abortion to be carried out at 24 weeks because....
Abortion in the UK
Abortion is the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy.
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In the UK you are allowed an abortion up to 24 weeks in the pregnancy.
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