Moral Decision Making: Thinking Ethically

Perhaps one of 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 ethical basis are disputes between the rights of the fetus and the rights of the pregnant woman to be settled?