Essay about The Moral Status of the Fetus

In contemporary America it can be argued that nothing is more contentious and controversial of an issue than abortion. From the vehement pro-life movement to the impassioned pro-choice coalition, this policy issue is one that has become increasingly important in our society. This debate has raised important questions regarding the value of human life, at what stage of development does a fetus have it’s constitutionally ensured rights take hold over that of the mother and at what stage can a state start regulating abortions.

Opposers of abortion argue that since a fetus is alive, they should also be given the ability to live and create a life for themselves. They also argue that the harm inflicted results in the murder of a person’s life, which would then bring unhappiness to several individuals debunking the idea that happiness and morality for society is found in individualism. Yet, Planned Parenthood and activists that support the mother's reproductive rights do not all believe a fetus is alive, and that a mother, whose life is affected by this baby, should be the final decider on whether to keep it or

Many women are not able to make their own decision of whether an abortion is the right

Proponents of punishing pregnant women, who put their fetuses at risk, have highlighted some pertinent legal and ethical issues. One is that a viable fetus (fetus after 27 weeks gestation) has certain rights and privileges. They are of the opinion that as soon as the fetus is viable and can survive independently from it mother, it becomes a

The first way that prenatal testing can be done is through something called a prenatal diagnostic test. "In general, it is the diagnostic procedures, such as amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling, that people think of when they hear the term prenatal testing," (Press 1). Amniocentesis is when doctors take a sample of the fluid that surrounds the baby in the uterus to determine certain genetic disorders or chromosomal abnormalities. Chorionic villus sampling is when doctors take cells from projections on the placenta to also discover any genetic disorders or chromosomal abnormalities. These processes are considered "invasive" because they are putting objects that could potentially hurt the baby into the protective area surrounding the baby. These ways of prenatal testing come with a very negative feeling because they could possibly injure the baby, and the word invasive is attached to a very negative connotation. However, these options can find more abnormalities and diseases than non-invasive prenatal testing. "NIPT accurately diagnoses Down's syndrome, Edward's syndrome, Patau syndrome, Turner's syndrome, and numerical chromosome aberration and cannot detect other chromosomal anomalies," (Ryu & Kim 1). Even though this is true, NIPT is still a very beneficial option to the mother and unborn child. NIPT usually uses a DNA sample to determine chromosomal abnormalities that could lead to things such as Down's syndrome. The procedure is done by the doctors taking a sample of the mother's blood to determine what types of diseases and disabilities the baby will have. Many people like this type of prenatal testing because it is not detrimental to the baby, or mother's health. "Studies investigating the acceptability of NIPT suggest that pregnant women find it preferable because the standard screening is associated with more uncertain results and

After laying out his structured argument he takes a broader look at the opposition and what they might say about his view on the subject matter. The critics would say that the human embryo does not count as a human subject or that she does not count as a vulnerable human subject (Napier, 502). After explaining the opposition he then looks at the moral worth of the embryo and gives several situations in which there is possibilities of the embryo having moral values even before birth. He gives an example that an adult is comatose and needs stem cell implants to be able to function again. The adult who needs regenerative therapy and the embryo are in the same position in relation to possessing personhood capacities. Both lack these capacities in morally similar ways. Therefore, if we say the adult has moral status, then so does the embryo (Napier, 505). Another case he illustrates to prove his point is that of women smoking and having miscarriages. Most women when they find out they have had a miscarriage mourn the loss of their baby. Most people would say that women should stop smoking if they become pregnant; not doing so is morally irresponsible (Napier, 505). According to Napier, if the women have to stop smoking because it’s immoral then the embryo is a living being.

Response: 1 in 33 children are born with some kind of birth defect. While genetic testing and screening is suggested by doctors to women, it is not required. Studies show that many women are not searching for a defect because they want to abort, but they would rather like to prepare for how there life and child’s life will be with this genetic abnormality (7). Many early pregnancy testing are not harmful to the other or child because they usually involve blood tests or ultrasounds. Mothers begin to be susceptible to risk as they reach the later months of their pregnancy and are involved in the 15th-20th week of pregnancy. Amniocentesis is when a doctor received some of the amniotic fluid around the child. The fluid is sent to a lab so that the cells may grow for testing. This tests for spina bifida and other abnormalities

In On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion, Mary Anne Warren discusses a few arguments against abortion, namely bringing into play whether the fetus is actually a person, or “not a member of the moral community”. She

Many would argue that a fetus is a potential person because it is has the potential to become what it is not yet. However, does a potential person have potential rights? An example was used: does a potential doctor have the rights of a licensed doctor? When one is describing potentiality, All he is really describing is what that thing is not. By declaring that a fetus is a potential person, one is also stating that a fetus is not a person. As one can see, this issue of the essence of a person and whether a fetus is a person is a very complicated one. This becomes seven more complicated if one takes into account the issue of rights. Now, the concept of human rights, that is to say, what American society dictates as human rights, conflicts heavily with itself. On one hand, we form a deep and heavy opinion on one’s right to life. On the other, we hold an equally strong opinion on one’s freedom to live that life as they please. American society by and large has a firm belief in an individuals right to live. Therefore, if one comes to the conclusion that a fetus actually is a person, then that fetus should receive the protection to it’s right to live, as much as you or I. This society also holds the firm belief in one’s right to the sovereignty of his or her own body, equal to that of one’s right to live. In this case, it is imperative that we understand what liberties we can and cannot take upon ourselves

“On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion”, an essay written by Mary Anne Warren, defend abortion in any stage of a woman’s pregnancy (pg 468). Warren argues that the potential to become a human being is not the same as being human and deserving the same right to life (pg. 468-472). This essay asserts that in order to be human, one must possess five particular traits (pg. 470). These trait are consciousness, reasoning, self-motivated activity, the ability to communicate, and awareness of oneself (pg. 470). Warren claims that since a fetus has not yet acquired all of the traits, then that fetus is not human and therefore does not have the right to life (pg. 470).

Even if a fetus is defined as a human being because it has a potential life, if the fetus does not yet aspire to live. It is impossible to argue that the fetus values its future yet, so why should it have a right to it?

To say that a person has moral standing is to give consideration to his or her wellbeing. According to Robert M. Veatch’s The Basic of Bioethics, moral standing is believed to be “that humans (at least normal humans) have moral standing [as well as] other animals” (27). Moral standing is determined by the physical or mental capacities of self-awareness or rationality. However, controversy arises when determining when one actually has full moral standing. Abortion is a controversial topic that directly relates to determining the full moral standing of an embryo or fetus. We are unable to achieve a consensus on the moral standing of an embryo or

These tests each do something different and can be performed at different periods of the pregnancy. Amniocentesis tests can be done fifteen to twenty weeks during pregnancy and will remove some amniotic fluid from the mother. This fluid will be tested for chemical indicators or used to create a karyotype. An ultrasound is done a couple times during a pregnancy and looks for major structural issues. Also, the fetus can be looked at during a fetoscopy where a fiber optic scope is inserted into the uterus to examine the fetus. The last test is Chorionic Villus Sampling. This test can be performed between eight and ten weeks where tissue from the placenta is removed and the parents will receive results faster than most tests. These tests can help parents discover that their child may be in danger due to a genetic disease. This could give a heads up to parents and look farther into the disease and its consequences,

One of the first moral issues addressed by both sides of the abortion debate concerns a pregnant woman’s so-called natural “right” to make “reproductive choices.” (“The Rights of Pregnant Women”) Anti-abortion advocacy groups claim that “the only way to actually protect the mother’s rights will be by enforcing laws that secure her child’s right to life,” (“Argument 2”) whereas pro-abortion groups contend that these laws “create a dangerous precedent for wide-ranging government intrusion into the lives of all women.” (“The Rights”) With two fundamentally contrasting viewpoints at odds with each other, it is apparent that one of the core issues concurrent with abortion is a woman’s rights versus the rights of her unborn fetus.

This test is usually optional to expectant mothers and is given to those who have a family history of birth defects or to women older than 35. This test basically evaluates the high and low levels of alpha fetoprotein in a woman’s blood during pregnancy. In doing so, the test will let a mother know if she is at risk of carrying a baby with an abnormality. If results come back with high levels of alpha fetoprotein then this symbolizes that the fetus may be developing a neural tube defect such as spina bifida or anencephaly. Whereas, having low levels may symbolize the fetus can have a trisomy or a chromosomal