Moral Decision Making: Thinking Ethically

Perhaps one of the most heated debates in healthcare ethics centers around the topic of abortion. Both the ethics and the legality of partial-birth abortions have been scrutinized in recent years. Using the South University Online Library or the Internet, research and read at least two articles on court decisions that affect partial-birth abortions. Based on your readings and research, answer the following questions:

• What are the arguments for abortion and against abortion? Give one example of arguments for each side based on a healthcare professional's codes of ethics of your choice.
• How do the court decisions discussed in the article affect this issue? Support your argument by using an ethical theory.
• When does the autonomy or privacy of the pregnant woman give way to other concerns?
• Does the fetus have rights? If yes, on what ethical basis are disputes between the rights of the fetus and the rights of the pregnant woman to be settled?