Selective termination of pregnancy and women's reproductive autonomy.

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 0410447 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Print ISSN: 0093-0334 (Print) Linking ISSN: 00930334 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Hastings Cent Rep Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: 2012- : Malden, MA : Wiley-Blackwell
Original Publication: Hastings-on-Hudson, N. Y., Institute of Society, Ethics and the Life Sciences.

Culture* ; Personal Autonomy* ; Pregnant Women* ; Social Values*; Abortion, Induced/*psychology ; Infertility/*psychology; Abortion, Eugenic/psychology ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Freedom ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Multiple/psychology ; Risk Assessment

Indexing Agency: KIE Local ID #: 31239. Indexing Agency: PIP Local ID #: 064062. Indexing Agency: POP Local ID #: 00211773.
Keywords: Genetics and Reproduction; Abortion, Induced*; Abortion, Legal*; Culture*; Delivery Of Health Care; Ethics*; Family Planning; Fertility Control, Postconception; Health; Health Personnel; Infertility*; Physicians*; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Multiple*; Reproduction; Treatment*
Note: 30 fn. Note: KIE BoB Subject Heading: abortion Note: KIE BoB Subject Heading: reproduction Note: Full author name: Overall, Christine Note: TJ: HASTINGS CENTER REPORT.
Local Abstract: [PIP] The debate over abortion has another dimension that acts as an issue to clarify and expand many of the justifications for abortion. Selective reduction of multiple gestations is a procedure that many women involved in fertility programs have had to undergo. Selective reduction serves as an example of abortion that more clearly establishes a woman's right to reproductive freedom. In order to understand selective reduction, and thus abortion, it is necessary to examine the social context in which women exist. Infertility is perceived as a serious problem for a women because children, genetically related children are seen as necessity for women. To this end women are pressured to do whatever it takes emotionally, psychologically, or economically to have a child. Therefore women turn to infertility programs that use fertility enhancing drugs or in vitro fertilization. This is a medical intervention that women choose because of social pressure to have children. It often results in multiple gestations. Such a situation not only decreases the chances for a successful outcome for the fetuses, but more importantly it puts a greater strain on the body of the woman. This point is most critical since it is the women's body that must gestate the multiple fetuses and the physical toll increases with each additional fetus. Seen in this context, selective reduction is simply a medical solution to a problem caused by another medical solution. Yet to most, including physicians, women who seek selective reduction are seen as immoral. What this view fails to realize is that when a woman is faced with this decision, she has been put in this situation by social pressure in the 1st place. There are some that advocate a limit on the number of fetuses that can be present before selective reduction is allowed. 3 is the most often cited number, but is women are allowed to abort singletons, then why couldn't they reduce 3 to 1? In a society where abortion is legal, selective reduction should not be restricted.

Date Created: 19900501 Date Completed: 19900904 Latest Revision: 20140325

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