Bioethical approach to local social indications in the context of voluntary termination of pregnancy

Abstract

Introduction. Abortion is, and remains to be one of the great bioethical issues of contemporary society. The harmful effects of abortion affect bio-psycho-socially both the life of the woman and the whole society. The social indications stipulated in the local legislation raise a series of ethical and/or bioethical questions, which concern the quality of the woman's life, but also the moral status of the embryo. These topics involve a thorough approach not only from a medical, social and legal perspective, but also from a moral one. Aim of study. Evaluation of the bioethical aspects of voluntary termination of pregnancy in the context of local social determinants. Methods and materials. Both local and international monographic, scientific publications, research in the field of bioethics, medical sources and textbooks, standardised protocols as well as legal documents were analysed. In this study, the bioethical, comparative, hermeneutic methods were applied. Results. In the context of the research it was found that the doctor has the duty to ensure the life of the mother and the birth of the child. Human life has an intrinsic value and transcends any temporal good and any economic consideration, social status, etc. Moreover, the reasons behind the motivations of social indications must be taken into account by the public authority and the community in the sense that they must be adapted to the person and not vice versa to sacrifice life in favour of a temporary situation. The ethical and/or bioethical obligation of society, science and everyone is to engage in the prevention by legitimate and permitted means of situations of risk and deterioration of the health of pregnant women, in order to guarantee the best hospital and technological assistance to those who are going to give birth, for guiding health policy in support of life and not to it’s easily suppress. Science is for life, society is for the person: this is the fundamental bioethical commitment. Conclusion. 1. The interdependence between the pregnant woman and her fetus is a special relationship that in some situations involves bioethical dilemmas. 2. Bioethics, as an interdisciplinary field, analyses the doctor-mother-fetus relationship by implementing the moral principles of bioethics. 3. In order to solve the problem of abortion, the doctor has the knowledge of the bioethical landmarks and the communication skills for the qualitative information of the woman and the moral decision making.