Question

Abortions for Minor Disabilities (London Times)—More than 50 babies with club feet were aborted in just one area of England in a three-year period, according to new statistics. Thirty-seven babies with cleft lips or palates and 26 with extra or webbed fingers or toes were also aborted. The data have raised concerns about abortions being carried out for minor disabilities that could be cured by surgery. Abortions are allowed up to birth in Britain in cases of serious handicap, but the law does not define what conditions should be considered grave enough to allow a termination late in the pregnancy. That is left to the discretion of doctors. The Commons science and technology committee is carrying out an inquiry into whether the law should be made more specific. Some parents, doctors and campaign groups are worried by what they see as a tendency to stretch the definition of serious handicap. In 2003 Joanna Jepson, a Church of England curate, instigated a legal challenge against West Mercia police for failing to prosecute doctors who carried out an abortion on a baby with a cleft palate at 28 weeks’ gestation. The challenge failed but raised public concerns over terminations for minor disabilities. However, the latest figures—released by the South West Congenital Register—show that dozens of abortions are still carried out after the condition is discovered. Jepson, now vicar of St Peter’s church in Fulham, west London, said: “These figures raise grave questions about how the law is being implemented for babies diagnosed with a disability. I have strong doubts that the law is being used to protect the unborn.” Julia Millington, political director of the ProLife Alliance, added: “It is incomprehensible that a baby would be rejected for what amounts to little more than a cosmetic imperfection. Equality for the disabled cannot be achieved until we remove this discriminatory provision in the law.”*  

Write 3 paragraphs on

Do you think it is ever morally permissible to perform an abortion on a defective fetus? What about a fetus that is so deformed that it will certainly die within a few days after birth? Or a fetus with deformities that will guarantee it a lifetime of pain and serious disability and years of emotional and financial trauma for its family? Can abortions performed on fetuses with minor disabilities such as a cleft lip ever be justified? Give reasons for your answers.

Answer 1

In developing countries and developed countries, always matter the quality of life ,If a parent planning to abort a baby it's simply future child's quality of life. Even it's a women right to continue the pregnancy or not the ethics of abortion says it's wrong to kill a innocent human being and fetuses are considered as innocent human being.

Studies and theories shows that abortion is like killing a human beings before its birth or fetus have equal right to live.

* Is abortion on a defefective fetus is morally permissible?  

According to studies and theories certain lethal fetal anomalies can do termination of pregnancy before 120days. Example :anencephaly, trisomy etc Defective child will grow as a burden to family and society and also expensive treatments and interventions to continue the life and a little will suffer more pain in early stage.

Minor deformities can be treatable should continue pregnancy and government should take care of child's surgical needs that may reduce abortions.

Or else it's a women right to continue the pregnancy or not confirming that the child became a burden for family or society or in a peergrops.

Death of Fetus : Due to severe congenital malformations or any birth defects or any pregnancy related complications may leads to death of fetus happens in early days.

If the fetus deformed and birth with certain lethal anomalies it's very hard to continue the life. It's recommended that if severe anomalies expecting it is permissible to perform an abortion. A deformed fetus that will die within a few days after birth is can prevented by an abortion in the early stages of pregnancy. Abortion can be done in 19 weeks of pregnancy also.

Fetus with a deformity will give years of family trauma and financial loss and to the family. In such cases government organizations would take care of child's treatment and promote such programms for deformed babies and can start up an treatment centre only for deformed or physically or mentally challenged childrens.

Family trauma or financial needs are the reason for termination of pregnancy in most countries.Its not good that allowing a child's to have lifetime pain and live till death.

*Minor disabilities  

Some of the physical deformities like cleft lip and cleft palate are treatable by surgeries and also congenital heart disease like septal defects also treatable in later stage of life of fetuses.

It is necessary to educate parents that your fetus have a disability and can be treatable later in life and continue the pregnancy. Minor disability child's doesn't have to suffer more pain as severe deformities, this pain may be temporary and after surgery they can have normal life like others.

Child development and government organizations should participate together for educating parent and help in surgical needs of the baby .Free of cost surgeries can be encouraged to prevent early abortions of minor deformed fetuses.

Cleft lip is a treatable condition by simple surgery and abortions for these conditions are not permissible and never encourage by health professionals.