The Sacredness of Every Human Life: Chemotherapy During Pregnancy A pregnant women diagnosed with cancer is a very rare case in medicine. Yet, this case still prevents itself in the field of medicine. Approximately, 1 in 1000 pregnant women are affected by cancer (“Cancer During Pregnancy”). Conflicts that pin maternal health versus fetal health have come to an interesting point in our society. The pregnant woman legally has the right to accept treatment that will harm the unborn child. Yet, it becomes a moral issue whether she owes it to her unborn child to refuse treatment in order to avoid fetal harm and deliver a healthy child. For the sake of argument, this paper will predominantly deal with pregnant cancer patients that if they refused chemotherapy may die, but if they received chemotherapy in the hopes of curing or slowing the cancer, their unborn child would be born healthy. This document will argue that the woman has the right to accept and should accept chemotherapy …show more content…
Both sides of the argument are heartfelt and have high moral foundations. If every human life is sacred then everything possible must be done to attempt to save both lives even if it means harm to one. Harm to the unborn baby may have a profound effect on his or her life, but harm to the baby can be justified if the life of the mother is saved as a result. Patients and doctors should administer chemotherapy to those pregnant women whose life is in immanent danger as a result of the cancer even if it may cause harm to the unborn child. Yet, if it is a matter of picking one life that will live and one that will perish, mothers have a special duty to their children to do everything possible to protect them and bring them into this world so that they may have a chance at life one day. Whatever the color of the skin, origin, race, age, gender, sexuality, born or unborn, every human life is
Thomson provides the example of being hooked up for nine months to provide dialysis to an ailing violinist to expose how a fetus’s right to life does not supersede a mother’s right to make medical decisions about her body (48-49). I find that this thought experiment especially helpful in understanding how even though a fetus does have a right to life, because the continuation of their life hinges on the consent of their mother to use her body, it falls to the mother to choose whether or not to allow the fetus to develop to term.
...s driven by non-maleficence, or the intent to “do no harm”. They know that withholding treatment for religious beliefs will potentially be fatal to both. While Maria is acting out of loyalty to her religious beliefs, the medical staff is acting out of loyalty to the patient’s well being and that of her unborn child. It would be unfair if no party were acting on behalf of that child. In conclusion, providers in this case must pursue every option in delivering life saving treatment for this child. This may involve legal action. If it were just Maria providers may attempt to influence her decision, but ultimately it would be up to her to refuse suggested treatment. Since her decision affects the life of the baby providers are called upon to save that child .
Abortion, like any other medical procedure, carries some risks. When one considers, however, that “the risk of death associated with childbirth is about 10 times as high as that associated with abortion” (“Know the Facts”), the threat of abortion suddenly does not seem as perilous. Additionally, contrary to popular misconception, abortion does not contribute to future infertility or development of breast cancer. It is therefore safer and more prudent to have an abortion than an unwanted pregnancy.
The topic on abortion gives a moral objection to a fetus’ right to life, while it is questionable whether or not the death of the unborn child is unjustifiable. Although it may seem as if abortion puts women in situations where it is necessary to save the mother’s life in some situations. Until both pro-life and pro-choice can come to a conclusion and an agreement, this debates on abortion will continually go on. Both sides need to be able to draw the line somewhere and balance each other’s weakness.
Over the course of the last century, abortion in the Western hemisphere has become a largely controversial topic that affects every human being. In the United States, at current rates, one in three women will have had an abortion by the time they reach the age of 45. The questions surrounding the laws are of moral, social, and medical dilemmas that rely upon the most fundamental principles of ethics and philosophy. At the center of the argument is the not so clear cut lines dictating what life is, or is not, and where a fetus finds itself amongst its meaning. In an effort to answer the question, lawmakers are establishing public policies dictating what a woman may or may not do with regard to her reproductive rights.
Case Study: Fetal Abnormality and Moral Status Modern science and advanced technology make possible finding the abnormality of an unborn child while in the mother's womb. In the given case, Jessica and Marco, a young couple recently moved to their own apartment, found out that Jessica is pregnant with fetus abnormality. Once abnormalities are detected, it becomes heartbreaking and hard to choose what to do, either continue the pregnancy or terminate. There are several theories on the moral status of the fetus, which can be applied in the decision making process when abnormalities detected are discussed here along with involved individual values, beliefs, and interests. The writer also presents the reality of the situation and recommends the best solution.
The debate concerning abortion still exists and is causing a lot of controversy. One of the biggest is an issue concerning mother’s who are experiencing health compilations during p...
...the woman's right to make a decision on her own body. This is the fundamental issue of this debate. Although some pro-life argue that the fetus also has a right to life, I mentioned earlier that abortion is a process to remove the fetus from the mother, not to kill the fetus to terminate the pregnancy. Once the fetus has removed form the mother, he/she is an entity life. The fetus's right is based on him/herself, but not the mother. The mother could have both mental and physical harms to give a birth under some circumstances, such as rape, incest or health related problems. I also explained that the mother has more obligations to her family and society than the value of the fetus. If the mother dies during the birth of baby, then the loss is more than the value of the new life. Form the consequential view, it is not worth that sacrifice the mother to save the fetus.
Thesis: The use of alternative medicine in autistic kids should include medical supervision in order to avoid overdosing, internal bleeding, and organ failure.
...ther’s sovereignty over her body outweigh the right of an unborn child to live. The answers to these questions are very diverse as a result of the diversity of the American society. With the issue of abortion, one’s attitude toward it is going to be based on many things such as religious background and personal morals. There is no black and white answer to the abortion issue. Luckily we live in a country where we are able to decide for ourselves whether something is morally right or wrong. Thus, ultimately, the choice is ours. As with the many other ethical issues which we are faced with in our society, it is hard to come to a concrete answer until we are personally faced with that issue. All we can do is make an effort to know all of the aspects which are involved so that we may be able to make a sound decision if we were faced with this problem in our own lives.
As one knows, some unwanted pregnancies could often be harmful and distressing for a woman. Women should have the right over their body to choose to sustain the fetus or not. In the past decades, women did not have their freedom of abortion in many countries of the world. There have always been controversies going on about abortion. Each individual has dissimilar views on the legality of abortion. Some people are against abortion for personal religious purposes and beliefs. For those who don’t believe in abortion, it is because they see it as killing a fetus, which is a human being. Others support abortion because they believe in women’s rights. Laws of abortion vary in each country, and abortion is not legal all over the world. It is illegal under any conditions but only permitted to save woman’s life if in countries such as Brazil, Nigeria, United Arab Emirates, and Ireland. However, abortion is legal without any restrictions in countries like Canada, Albania, and Italy. It the past decades Abortion was considered as criminal act in Canada. “If an abortion was carried out without such approval, the woman was liable for imprisonment for 2 years, an...
Cancer patients often wonder if going through treatments like chemotherapy and radiation are worth the risk of the side effects, in addition to the cancerous side effects. They feel that they can’t enjoy or relax in what a short amount of time they have left because they are bedridden from the nausea and pain that treatments put them through. Patients tell their loved ones to just let them die so long as they don’t have to go through any more pain. Those who are too old, are unable to recover from the effects, or are just too far in the grips of cancer, should refuse the more harsh treatments like chemo and radiation. On the positive side, refusing treatments after a certain point can save their families from the stress and cost of hospital bills. If caught early enough, patients can opt for safer and easier routes to getting rid of cancer like surgery or by doing a stem cell transplant.
The essential dilemma in the abortion debate has been the issue of presumed rights. On side of the spectrum is the fetus’ assumed right to life, and on the other side is a mother’s presumed right of autonomy over her body. Another aspect of the abortion problem includes determining at which instance a growing fetus constitutes as a person, giving it the moral right to
On any normal given day if you were to kill another human being you would be greatly punished for your crimes, if not put to death because of your actions. So, what is it that makes the unborn babies less important than anyone else. If anything we should go above and beyond to make sure these babies are taking care of properly because they are unable to help themselves at all, and when the mother does not want the baby who is left to fight for the baby’s life. Even if the pregnancy was unwanted, unplanned, to early, or just a mistake there is still a baby’s life on the line when you begin to talk about abortion. Others might fight for the right to terminate the pregnancy before the baby has a heartbeat, but even if there is no heartbeat yet there will be and we do not have the right to take that away. The last argument on the opposing side I would like to talk about is the assumption that abortion is safer than child birth. Many articles and studies have shown that abortions are not dangerous to the mother. Linda Lowen’s article states “the vast majority of women- 88% who have an abortion do so in the first trimester and medical abortions have less than 0.5% risk of serious complications.” (Linda Lowen pg. 2) So `many women will use this as an excuse or reasoning for terminating the pregnancy. In my opinion many advancements in
Abortion is an extremely controversial issue and one that is continually on the forefront of debates. Those who oppose the idea (Pro-lifers), thinks it is an act of woman playing “God” who live from who dies. Yet, whether an unborn baby constitutes a normal person is questionable; a pregnant woman, on the other hand, has the undeniable right to choose whether she wants to have a child or not. Therefore, the decision to have an abortion is the personal choice and responsibility of the woman, because prohibiting abortion impedes freedom of choice and endangers the physical and mental health of women.