Abortion Flashcards
Define embryo
A foetus before it is 3 months old
Define abortion
The deliberate termination of a pregnancy by removal and destruction of the foetus
Define medical ethics
Questions of morality that are raised by medical situations
Why is knowing when a human life begins important?
Knowing when a human life begins is important in helping Christians decide if and when abortion is acceptable
When do most pregnant women have their first ultrasound scan and what can you see?
At 8 weeks you are able to see, even at such a young stage, that the baby is beginning to be recognisably human
What do some doctors say about ultrasound scans?
Some doctors say that, although technology is used to produce fantastic pictures, such images confuse people.
What did Donald Peebles say?
Donald Peebles said in a newspaper interview that although the foetus clearly looks human, sensory development takes place much later. He believed there was a risk that the pictures would make people assume that foetuses have more advanced brains than is the case.
How many woman have abortions every year?
More than 200,000
When are abortions legal in the uk?
It has to be done before the baby could live outside the womb without medical help. Abortions are legal if the foetus is less than 24 weeks old, provided two doctors consent to the abortion.
When are abortions over 24 weeks allowed?
They are only allowed in exceptional circumstances such as if there is a substantial risk that the child would be born with a serious disability; if the mothers life is at risk or if the woman has become pregnant as a result of rape.
Why do Christians disagree with abortion?
Because all babies have a soul from the moment of contraception and therefore they are fully human and so abortion is murder.
What are their beliefs on abortion based on?
The teaching in Genesis that people are made in the image of god and god is the creative spark from the moment of contraception.
What do the Church of England an Catholic Church teach about abortion?
They teach that abortion is a great moral evil and human life must be protected and respected.
When do Roman Catholics permit abortion?
They do not permit abortion under any circumstances unless it’s an unintended result of an operation to save the mother - “doctrine of double effect”
When do the Church of England permit abortions?
Abortion is only acceptable in exceptional circumstances such as a result of rape, the baby has a serious disability or is a risk to the mothers life.
