The abortion debate mainly revolves around two opposing view: pro-choice and pro-life. The pro-choice perspective supports the right of the women to choose whether to have the baby or not. Since the medieval era abortion has always been considered wrong. Abortion has been stigmatized by the members of the society who consider undesirable or totally undesirable reproductive choice. The arguments within these two positions are based on legal and ethical issues in countries where they are applied. In UK, the abortion law illustrate that pregnancy might be terminated before 24th week of gestation only in some specific circumstances which renders the life or health of the pregnant woman to be at risk or if the pregnancy would result into negative mental and physical impact on the mother. The law also allows post viability abortion on ground that if the fetus is given birth to, it might suffer from gross disability. However, the anti-abortionists argue that life begins after conception and any form of abortion is considered unethical despite the time and circumstances. Even those who partially support it argue that though prevailing circumstances might lead to justification of viability abortion, it would be unethical to allow women to abort on demand. This study aimed at exploring the ethical and legal issues surrounding post viability abortion in UK. The study has utilised systematic review of different legal and ethical literatures including, court rulings, legal papers, and medical journals and books. The study finding has shown that post viability abortion issues still remains an enigma to all parties involved in the abortion debate. The anti-abortionist continues to reject not only late term abortion but any form of abortion and call for a change in legal provision to totally restrict abortions. On the other hand, pro-choice group, reject the argument made by the anti-abortionists and call total abortion right so that women have the right to choose to terminate their pregnancies.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Background information
1.2 Aim/ Research objective
1.3 Research question
2. Literature Review
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Case study on the legal issues on the case of Roe v. Wade
2.3 Historical Background on legal issues on post viability abortion
2.4 The law on Abortion in UK and its Constituents/ legal issues
2.4.1 Scotland, England and Wales
2.4.2 The Northern Ireland abortion law
2.5 Ethical issues
2.5.1 Arguments used to support abortion in some circumstances
2.5.2 Arguments used against abortion
3. Methodology
3.1 Research design
3.2 Data collection tools and the process of data collection
3.3 Sampling design/ description of the proposed sample
3.4 Ethical consideration
3.5 Data collection procedure and instruments
3.6 Validity and reliability of the study
3.7 Data analysis
4. Analysis and Discussion
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This dissertation aims to critically examine the ethical and legal complexities surrounding post-viability abortion in the United Kingdom. It explores how legal provisions, moral frameworks, and societal debates intersect when a fetus is considered viable, specifically addressing the balance between maternal rights and the status of the fetus.
- Legal frameworks governing abortion in the UK and Northern Ireland
- Ethical arguments regarding fetal rights vs. maternal bodily autonomy
- The role of medical practitioners and technological advancements in neo-natal care
- Sociopolitical influence on abortion legislation and public opinion
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 Background information
When it comes to the issues of abortion, people normally take three main stances: anti-abortion, pro-abortion and the middle ground that abortion is only acceptable under some prevailing circumstances. The arguments within these three positions are based on ethical and legal issues in countries where they are applied. Those who support abortion argues that it is not a wrong act in itself and hence no need to involve undesirable consequences among women who practice it. These arguments however, fail to recognize the rights the fetus has to become a person. According to the arguments posed by some scholars, abortion is part of the woman’s rights to have full control over her own bod. Moralists who use consequences to judge actions argues that abortion is just the same as a deliberate failure to conceive and since there is wide availability of contraceptives, abortion should be allowed too. Other people think that even though the fetus might be poses some rights to become a person, such rights are very limited and cannot have a significant weight against the interest of people who have already been born like parents and other existing children. Most of the people who are for this notion do so on the basis of the overriding principles that women have the right to choose what should and should not happen to their bodies.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION: This chapter provides the background information on the abortion debate, outlining the core aim and research questions focused on the ethical and legal standing of post-viability procedures in the UK.
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW: This section analyzes the historical progression of abortion law, including international case studies and the specific legal frameworks within the UK, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY: The chapter details the systematic research design, which relies on a secondary literature review of academic journals and legal papers to investigate the study’s core themes.
CHAPTER 4: ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION: This part examines the practical implementation of the Abortion Act, interpreting the specific clauses that permit late-term procedures and the ethical dilemmas raised by clinical practice and patient cases.
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION: The final chapter summarizes the ongoing enigma of post-viability abortion, suggesting that current definitions of viability are subject to change as medical technology improves and societal values evolve.
Keywords
Post-viability abortion, United Kingdom, fetal rights, maternal autonomy, Abortion Act 1967, medical ethics, neo-natal care, gestation period, disability, legislation, pro-choice, pro-life, jurisprudence, clinical evaluation, human rights.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this dissertation?
This work explores the legal and ethical dilemmas surrounding abortions performed after the point of fetal viability in the United Kingdom.
Which specific abortion issues are debated here?
The study covers the tension between pro-choice and pro-life viewpoints, the status of the fetus as a person, and the legal constraints imposed on late-term abortions.
What is the primary objective of this research?
The primary aim is to assess whether post-viability abortions are ethically and legally justifiable within the existing UK legislative framework.
Which scientific method is applied in this study?
The author uses a systematic review of secondary data, including legal papers, medical journals, and court rulings, to synthesize information on the topic.
What topics are discussed in the main analysis?
The main body focuses on the interpretation of abortion law, the impact of technological advancements on neo-natal survival rates, and the ethical weight of fetal disability.
What key terms define this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as fetal viability, maternal health, bodily autonomy, legal framework, and ethical moral standing.
How has neo-natal care influenced the 24-week limit?
Improved survival rates for premature infants have led to the scientific and legal re-evaluation of what constitutes viability, resulting in the reduction of the legal window from 28 to 24 weeks.
How does the Northern Ireland situation differ from the rest of the UK?
Unlike the rest of the UK, the 1967 Abortion Act is not applicable in Northern Ireland, where abortion remains largely governed by older, more restrictive legislation based on the Offenses against the Person Act 1861.
- Quote paper
- Omondi Odindo (Author), 2014, Ethical and Legal Issues Surrounding Post Viability Abortion in the United Kingdom, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1742557
