Mrs. K who is the patient in this case who has four children and desires no more children and got pregnant due to failure of contraception. She is already overwhelmed by this number of children and also suffers from depression and would prefer abortion since the pregnancy was not planned. Considering that she is already overwhelmed by the children she has and her use of contraceptives implies that abortion would be favorable for her. Moreover, she has a depressive illness which could be affected by pregnancy and birth of another unplanned child posing risk for her health as well as the upbringing of her kids.
This would be among the over 98% of induced abortions in Britain which are undertaken because of risk to the mental or physical health of the woman or her children (RCOG, 2011). Her family would also be involved and more so her husband. There is a disagreement from him regarding abortion which could possibly arise from various factors not limited to his socio-cultural, ethnic and religious background. In this case it would be essential to know the gestation as this could also have informed his decisions for disagreements given for instance that the risk of complications of abortion such as severe bleeding increases with gestation (RCOG, 2011).
It is my expectation that her wife would involve him during the decision making though this is not mandatory since she is an adult has a right to make her decisions. Doctors and other health care workers are involved in the treatment of abortion and carry out this role throughout the patient care according to law. In such a dilemma a doctor would consider the patients plight, with the children she has to raise alongside her medical condition and possibly in accordance with the law advice for abortion.
The nurses who also administer medication prescribed by the doctor would probably have similar views. However, the law provides an objection clause which allows the doctors and nurse to refuse to participate in any treatment in case of conflicts with their religious or moral beliefs (RCOG, 2008). Religious leaders and leaders of many other organizations such as SPUC who believe that life begins at conception would be against abortion. Since they view abortion as a grave injustice that perpetuates other social injustices and does not solve social problems, relationships issues, economic problems among others which many women can use as a reason for abortion, they would be against abortion.
Believing that human life is of equal value (the unborn child being equal to other people), the effect of the abortion in the interest of the mother and other children does not stand in this group. This group would therefore have anti-abortion views in Mrs K’s case. Proponents of abortion in this case would consider Mrs. X case and based on utilitarian theory, where an action is morally right or wrong depending on its consequences. If the action brings about the best outcome it is right otherwise it is wrong (Bayles, 1998).
This would support abortion considering the fact that it has intended desirable consequences regarding her health and social life. Similarly, abortion is viewed as a woman's right to exercise control over her body. Some proponents would argue that though the fetus is a person, it has limited rights compared to the already born mother and children who may be considered more superior. From a perspective of preference utilitarianism whose moral course of action is the one that leads to the most preferential satisfaction.
Then it can be argued that the unborn have no preferences whereas women do have thus permitting abortion in favour of woman’s preference. Support on the basis of woman’s right and capacity to choose what is best for her also exists in this case. This favors her choices despite the opposition or limitations to achieve the best. This would give her the autonomy she deserves and hence choose what to do with her body. This also brings out the issue of her husband’s disagreement which would only at best influence but not limit her choices.
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