Abortion and reproductive technology Flashcards
What are the 5 main areas of termination of pregnancy (TOP) act?
▪ Safety and standards
▪ Prevention of coercion & intimidation
▪ Prevention of exploitation
▪ Setting limits on the right to abortion
▪ Providing privilege against disclosure
What are the safety and standards in TOP?
- To be performed by an
authorised medical
practitioner in an approved
healthcare institution - Surgical or obstetric skill or
special skill required for
terminations between 16 to
24 weeks, unless treatment
consists solely of drugs
What is Prevention of
Coercion and Intimidation in TOP?
- Consent must be
obtained from the
‘pregnant woman’ - Offence to compel or
induce a pregnant
woman to undergo
treatment to terminate
the pregnancy against
her will
*no legal age for abortion
Prevention of exploitation in TOP. only 4 main groups of preg women can unalive baby
TOP can only be performed in
Singapore for:
* Singapore citizens (SCs) or
wives of SCs
* Holder or wife of holder of
employment pass or work
permit issued in Singapore
* Some who has resided in
Singapore for at least 4
months before the date of
the procedure
* Cases in which the TOP is
necessary to save the life of
the pregnant woman
Limits to rights to
Terminate the
Pregnancy
No treatment for the TOP
shall be carried out if
* the pregnancy is > than 24
weeks unless the
treatment is necessary to
save the life or to prevent
grave permanent injury to
the physical or mental
health of the pregnant
woman
Privilege Against
Disclosure
No person who —
(a) is concerned with the keeping of medical records in connection with treatment to terminate a pregnancy;
or
(b) participates in any treatment to terminate a pregnancy,
shall, unless the pregnant woman expressly gives her consent thereto, disclose any facts or information relating to the treatment except to such persons and for such purposes as may be prescribed
Ethical issues of reproductive technology (6)
- commercialisation
-sex selection
-genetic screening for defects - selective abortion with multiple fetus
- older women pregnancies
-dehumanising aspects of procedure: eg separation of parenthood, change motives for creating children
Social implications of reproductive technology
Vast demographic changes. gender ratio change, homogenity, less 2 parent families
What are the 4 Types of ARTs?
Artifical Insemination (AI)
Intra-uterine Insemination (IUI)
In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer (GIFT)
What is Surrogacy?
Occurs when one woman agrees to carry to term the fetus for
another person
The fetus may be from the egg and sperm of the couple who want to raise the child or it may be donor eggs or donor sperm
What are the possibilities in surrogacy?
Intentional/Genetic/Nuturing/Gestational
Briefly describe what can happen in surrogacy
Overlapping roles?
Should there be an age limit?
Should it be limited to the financially viable couple?
What should be done to ‘extra’ fertilised embryos?
What if the surrogate mother changes her mind?
What are the limits to rights to terminate the pregnancy?
The abortion can only be done if it is <24 weeks, unless required in a emergency to save the life of the mother
What are the pro-life/pro-choice arguments?
Prolife:
* all human beings have
the right to life
* direct defiance –
sanctity of human life.
Prochoice:
* pregnant woman - right to
control the fertility of her
own body by choosing
* her body, her choice!
