Groups will be assigned to one of the following issues. The groups will compile a short PowerPoint presentation with voice over recording to include the issue or controversy, the health practitioners role in the issue and thoughtful conclusion. A minimum of 2 articles for reference required. Each group member will submit a copy of the PPT in the drop-box for grading. Elective Pregnancy Termination Essay Discussion Paper
Group 1 Cancer screening
Group 2 HPV vaccine
Group 3 Alzheimer’s gene Screening
Group 4 Elective pregnancy termination
Group 5 Addiction Treatment
Ethical issues in Health Prevention [Point Form] – Elective Pregnancy Termination
Introduction/ Definition
- Termination of pregnancy refers to abortion.
- Various reasons why a woman may want to terminate a pregnancy.
- Opposing arguments from different standpoints against elective abortion.
- The purpose of the presentation is to discuss elective abortion, its ethical considerations, and the role of the health practitioner.
Elective Pregnancy Termination
- Elective termination of pregnancy is elective abortion. It means the woman deliberately requests that their pregnancy be terminated.
- This has to be done before the 20th week of gestation (Britannica, n.d.).
- The termination by definition has to be done at the woman’s request.
- The reason for termination is not ill-health of the woman or lack of viability of the fetus.
Some Reasons for Elective Pregnancy Termination
- Rape
- Teenage pregnancy
- Failure of contraception
- Unplanned pregnancy
Controversy
- Pro-choice (woman’s right to her body)
- Pro-life (sanctity of human life after conception)
- Roe vs. Wade (elective termination of pregnancy is not illegal as informed by the landmark Supreme Court decision of Roe vs. Wade in 1973. The ruling stated that outlawing abortion would be unconstitutional and against the 14th Amendment).
Ethical Issues
- Autonomy: The woman has the right to decide what happens to her and her pregnancy. She is the one who gives informed consent on the same.
- Beneficence: Dictates that if termination would benefit the woman then it should be done.
- Nonmaleficence (applies to the fetus): A healthcare worker should not deliberately cause harm to a patient.
- Women should be treated the same way as men without discrimination and be allowed to decide whether to keep a pregnancy or not (Haswell, 2019).
Health Practitioner’s Role
- Safety (Mainey et al., 2020)
- Education on contraception
- Education on safe sex (Shannon & Klausner, 2018)
- Prevention
References
Britannica (n.d.). Elective abortion. https://www.britannica.com/science/elective-abortion
Haswell, N. (2019). The four ethical principles and their application in aesthetic practice. Journal of Aesthetic Nursing, 8(4), 177-179. https://doi.org/10.12968/joan.2019.8.4.177
Mainey, L., O’Mullan, C., Reid‐Searl, K., Taylor, A., & Baird, K. (2020). The role of nurses and midwives in the provision of abortion care: A scoping review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 29(9-10), 1513–1526. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15218
Shannon, C.L. & Klausner, J.D. (2018). The growing epidemic of sexually transmitted infections in adolescents: A neglected population. Current Opinion in Pediatrics, 30(1), 137-143. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/MOP.0000000000000578
Elective Pregnancy Termination Essay Discussion Paper