9/26/2023 0 Comments Justice ethical principle abortionWomen who seek an abortion are more likely to be from an ethnic minority (particularly black), unmarried, and already be a mother. The characteristics of women who seek abortion in the United States are hugely significant in relation to the recent change in legislation, not only for practical reasons but also for moral ones. This all at a time when a woman is pregnant, vulnerable, and dealing with the inevitably emotional burden of their decision to have an abortion, whatever the reason. Such travel is no mean feat, requiring time off work or away from children, finances for flights and accommodation, as well as the practical challenges of finding clinic with the capacity to provide the abortion. Women from states where abortion is banned or heavily restricted can, at present, travel inter-state to access abortion services, although future legal challenges may be attempted to limit this. At the other extreme, many have banned abortions in all circumstances, including rape, incest, or where the foetus has a fatal anomaly. Some states have taken a liberal approach in permitting abortion either altogether or up to the point of viability (generally considered up to 24 to 26 weeks). All states permit abortion for the preservation of the life of the pregnant woman, but beyond this there is significant variation in their laws. This interactive map shows which states have imposed restrictions or altogether banned abortions at the time of writing. Although provision and ease of access to abortion service varied in practice, this constitutional ruling demonstrated that at least to some degree, the United States deemed it to be morally permissible in certain circumstances.īut that changed in June this year, when the Supreme Court overturned the ruling of Roe vs Wade, thereby delegating decisions about whether abortions are permitted to individual states. Up until this ruling, the 1973 case of Roe vs Wade had enshrined a constitutional right for women in the United States to be able to access abortions. The debate around abortion has been reinvigorated by the recent United States Supreme Court ruling. Disagreements in the care of critically ill children.Our position paper explains in more detail how abortion will be regulated in the United Kingdom if it was decriminalised. Decriminalisation does not mean deregulation.įor example, if abortion is decriminalised, it will continue to be an offence to sell or supply abortion-causing drugs without a valid prescription given by an appropriate practitioner. The professional standards, regulations and criminal and civil laws that apply to all other areas of clinical practice also apply to abortion. Decriminalised does not mean unregulatedĪbortion is subject to specific regulations and to professional and clinical standards. To inform the debate, we published a neutral discussion paper and an update in 2017.These provide a useful overview to some of the key legal and ethical issues. should be decriminalised in respect of women procuring and administering the means of their own abortion.
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