BIOETHICS ABORTION

Abortion

old as recorded history. It is a

method of birth control where conception is

terminated rather than prevented.

Plato and Aristotle

they recommended it for

population control in Greek city-states.

Hippocractic Oath

a pledge against inducing abortion,

signaling its prevalence even in antiquity

Article II, Section 12 (1987 Constitution)

The State... shall equally protect

the life of the mother and the life of

the unborn from conception.

Abortion (2)

expulsion of a living fetus

before it is viable.

Viability

refers to the fetus’ ability to live

independently outside the womb,

usually around 28 weeks.

Viability

the capability of the child to live

independently of the mother.

28 weeks (7th Month)

When do viability occur

1. NATURAL SPONTANEOUS

2. DIRECT (INTENTIONAL)

3. THERAPEUTIC

4. EUGENIC (SELECTIVE)

5. INDIRECT

Types of Abortion (NDTEI)

Ensoulment

when the soul enters the body

Immediate Hominization

Delayed Animation

Two Main theories of Ensoulment

IMMEDIATE HOMINIZATION

Also called Immediate Animation

A human person exists

from the moment of conception.

• Plato

• St. Gregory of Nyssa

• the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.

Proponents of Immediate Hominization

Delayed Animation

ensoulment (or the presence of the

human soul/personhood) does not occur at

the moment of conception, but happens

later when the embryo becomes sufficiently

developed.

• Aristotle

• St. Agustine & St. Anselm

• St. Thomas Aquinas

Who supported Delayed Animation

Aristotle; 40 & 80

Proposed that ensoulment occurs:

__ day for males

__ day for females

St. Anselm and St. Agustine

They distinguished between:

• Animate Fetus (Formed fetus)

• Inanimate fetus (unformed

embryo)

They believed moral status increases as

development progresses.

St. Thomas Aquinas

According to ____ Intellectual (rational) Soul is not present immediately at conception.

• Vegetative (Nutritive) Soul

• Sensitive Soul

• Intellectual

Development happens in stages

Vegetative (Nutritive) soul

Responsible for growth, nutrition,

and basic life processes.

Sensitive Soul

Sensation and movement

Intellectual soul

Enables reasoning, intellect, and moral

awareness

• Implantation Theory

• Unity and Uniqueness

• Appearance of Human Form (Look Human”

• Electrical Brain Activity

• Quickening

• Viability

• Birth

INTERPRETATIONS OF DELAYED ANIMATION

Implantation of Theory

• Occurs about 6-7 days after fertilization

• Blastocyst attaches to the uterine wall

Unity and Uniqueness

• Around 2-4 weeks, the embryo becomes a distinct individual organism.

• Twinning is less likely after this stage

• The embryo shows coordinated development as one unified being.

Appearance of Human Form (“Look Human”)

• Around 5-6 weeks, recognizable human features begin forming

• Limb buds and facial structures appear.

• Historically, visible human shape influenced beliefs about personhood

Electrical Brain Activity

• Around the 8th week, primitive brain waves can be detected

• Since brain activity defines life and death in modern medicine, some link personhood to neurological function

Quickening

• Mother first feels fetal movement at 10- 12 weeks (sometimes later)

• Historically considered evidence of life entering the fetus

• Important moral marker in ancient medical traditions

Viability

• Around 24-28 weeks, the fetus may survive outside the womb with medical support

• Independence from the mother becomes possible

• Some ethical views associate personhood with survivability

Birth

• A minority historical belief states animation occurs at birth when independent breathing begins

Pre-implantation period

• the earliest stage of human development, beginning at fertilization and ending when the embryo implants into the uterine lining.

• It lasts approximately the first 6-7 days after conception.

• the embryo is alive and developing but not get physically connected to the mother's blood supply

Conception

occurs when sperm and ovum unite

Sperm

it undergoes capacitation before fertilizing the ovum

Fertilization

happens within 6-8 hours after intercourse

Embryo

remains in the fallopian tube about 8 days before implantation

Cell Division

• Zygote divides rapidly

• 6-8 days later, implantation occurs

• Placenta develops

• Pregnancy hormones become detectable

• Full-term pregnancy lasts about 280 days

• Fertilization

• Cleavage

• Morula Stage

• Blastocyst Stage

• Beginning of implantation

Cell Division Process (FCMBBim)

Fertilization (Day 1)

• Occurs in the fallopian tube

• One sperm penetrates the ovum

• Fusion of nuclei forms a zygote

• Zygote contains complete genetic material (46 chromosomes)

Cleavage (Day 1 to 3)

• Series of mitotic divisions

• 2-cell → 4-cell → 8-cell stage

• Cells become smaller

• Overall size does NOT increase

• Embryo continues moving toward the uterus

Morula Stage

• formation of Solid ball

• Day 3 to 4

• Called a morula

• Still traveling to the uterus

Blastocyst stage

• Around day 3-4

• Solid ball of approximately 16-32 cells

• Still traveling toward the uterus

Beginning of Implantation (Day 6 to 7)

• Blastocyst attaches to uterine lining

• Marks the end of pre-implantation period

• Implantation process begins

Curettage

• the aspiration or removal of tissue from the uterus

• This technique is frequently carried out to

  treat miscarriages, retained placentas

  following vaginal birth, or first-trimester

  elective abortions.

• can prevent implantation if

  performed within 8 days after conception.

Curette

device used in curettage

Fertilization

6 to 8 hours after intercourse

8 days; fallopian tube

how many days do embryo spend in ___

1. The Conservative

2. The Liberal

3. The Moderate or Intermediate

THREE (3) GENERAL VIEWPOINTS OF

ABORTION

The Conservative

• Abortion is never permissible, except possibly to save the mother’s life.

• The fetus has full ontological and moral status from conception.

• The fetus has the same rights as a born person

The Liberal

• Abortion is always morally permissible, regardless of fetal stage.

• Emphasizes women’s bodily autonomy and self-determination.

• The fetus has no independent moral or ontological status.

The Moderate or Intermediate

• Abortion is permissible only under certain conditions and up to a specific stage of development.

• The fetus gains full moral status at quickening or viability.

• Before this stage, the fetus has partial moral status and limited rights.

Pro-Life Movement

• the position that disapproves of abortion and upholds the sanctity of life.

• Human life must be respected and protected from conception.

• Promotes adoption, counseling, and social

  support.

• bleeding

• infection

• uterine perforation

• menstrual irregularities

• pain

• infertility

• possible future pregnancy complications such as miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.

Physical effects of Abortion

• guilt

• grief

• loss of confidence

• low self-esteem

• depression

• anger

• self-destructive/suicidal

• tendencies

• emotional distress

• hostility

Psychological effects of abortion

Pro-Choice Movement

approving view of abortion based on the

sovereignty of the individual’s conscience.

• Personal/Familial

• Social

• Fetal

Justifications for the expulsion of the fetus

are categorized into:

• Freedom of choice

• Conscience as final authority

• Protection of mother’s health

• Rape cases

• INSTITUTIONAL INDEPENDENCE

• MEDICAL NECESSITY

• JUSTICE IN TRAUMA

Personal and Familial Justifications

• Economic burden

• Population issues

• Social costs of disability

• GLOBAL ADAPTATION

• SOCIO-ECONOMIC STABILITY

• PUBLIC WELFARE

• EQUITY

Social Justification

• Severe deformities

• Genetic abnormalities

• Amniocentesis detection

• Sex selection

• PREVENTION OF SUFFERING

• FINANCIAL/EMOTIONAL COSTS

• ETHICAL VIEW

Fetal Justification

Institutional Independence (Personal/Familial Justifications)

Procreation decisions should be free from

Church control, as the woman alone carries

the lifelong burden of the decision.

Medical Necessity (Personal/Familial Justifications)

Safeguards the mother from life-threatening

conditions (e.g., ectopic pregnancy,

cancerous uterus, or cardiac complications)

Justice in Trauma (Personal/Familial Justifications)

In cases of rape or incest, pregnancy is

seen as a grave injustice. Pro-choice

advocates argue that bodily support of a

fetus is not an obligation if the pregnancy

was not willed or intended

Global Adaptation (Social Justification)

Addresses a world that can no longer afford

or sustain unlimited childbearing

Socio-Economic Stability (Social Justification)

Alleviates poverty, demographic problems,

and overpopulation.

Public Welfare (Social Justification)

Reduces "social costs" of care and limits

instances of child abuse, maternal deaths

from illegal abortions, and illness.

Equity (Social Justification)

Contributes to a society where the poor are

not biased against in favor of the affluent

and powerful.

Prevention of Suffering (Fetal Justifications)

Selective abortion (based on fetal

indications) prevents the birth of children

with severe genetic defects to avoid a

"lifetime of misery.

Financial/Emotional Costs

Avoids the "staggering" financial and

psychological agony for the family and the

baby.

Ethical View (Fetal Justification)

Contends that if a deformity is detected, the

mother is doing "more good than harm" by

choosing abortion.

Amniocentesis

A procedure (as early as 16 weeks) that extracts amniotic fluid for chromosomal analysis

Advanced Imaging

Abdominal and transvaginal ultrasounds and fetoscopes can detect abnormalities and fetal sex