bioethical issues Flashcards
(68 cards)
A simple health care intervention that can be safely and effectively managed by a wide range of health workers using medication or a surgical procedure
abortion
what are the forms of abortion
Spontaneous abortion or miscarriages:
- It occurs without medical or
surgical intervention
Therapeutic abortion
- Performed out of medical
necessity
Elective abortion:
- Performed for personal reasons
Intentional and unintentional abortions
*Intentional abortion:
- The deliberate termination of a pregnancy through medical or surgical means
* Unintentional abortion: A pregnancy loss that is not planned or induced
briefly explain the principle of double effect as explained by Atty. Noche:
It’s a moral principle used in difficult situations where a single action has two effects:
- One intended good effect
- One unintended harmful effect
ex:
In a pregnancy where the mother’s life is in danger, doctors must try to save both mother and child. But if it’s medically impossible, they
may act to save one as long as they do not directly intend to kill the child.
briefly explain the medical abortion process and risks
Process:
1.Take mifepristone in the clinic
2. It will be about 6 to 72 hours after taking mifepristone. Misoprostol causes the uterus to contract and empty
3. After taking the 2nd medicine, a lot of cramping will occur followed by heavy bleeding and blood clots coming out of the vagina
Risks:
1. incomplete abortion
2. infection
3. heavy bleeding for 2 hours or more
- involves taking medications, mifepristone (abortion pill or RU-486), and misoprostol orally
- it may be used in early pregnancy, and may be used at home
- it is less invasive than an in-clinic abortion
briefly explain the surgical abortion process and complications
Process:
The cervix is gradually widened with rods of increasing size, and a slim tube is then inserted into your uterus. The pregnancy (the fetus and the placenta) is withdrawn with gentle suction. Another instrument called a curette is used to check whether the uterus is empty.
Complications:
1. Hemorrhage
2. Infection
3. Injury to the uterus and cervix
surgical absorption is aka
suction aspiration abortion
When is suction aspiration abortion typically done
during the first trimester (first 3 months or up to 12 weeks of pregnancy)
- done in the doc’s office w local anesthesia and oral pain-relieving medications
A surgical abortion method used in the second trimester
Dilation and Evacuation (D&E)
Involve extra steps to prepare your cervix:
- Hormone-blocking tablets
- A special device
critiques on abortion
“Restricting abortion violates women’s human rights.”
“Abortion is the killing of an innocent life.”
“Abortion devalues the sanctity of life.”
briefly explain pro-life and pro-choice
pro-life:
- Opposed to abortion
- Belief that all human life is created equal, regardless of size, level of development, education, and degree of dependency
pro-choice:
- Favoring the legalization of abortion
- Belief in a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body
briefly explain the major concerns of abortion
Cultural and Religious Beliefs
Psychological Impact
Socioeconomic and Access Disparities
The practice of ending a life intentionally, usually in situations when the individual is terminally ill, to relieve him/her of pain and suffering
Euthanasia
- (Benitez et al., 2018)
Euthanasia is both under destruction of life & sustaining life from the GREEK words eu (good) and thanatosis (death)
Euthanasia
- (Binarao, 2021)
what is the other term of Euthanasia
mercy killing
briefly explain the types of Euthanasia
Voluntary Euthanasia:
- When an individual gives consent to subject himself/herself to a painless death
Non-voluntary Euthanasia:
- When the permission of the
patient to perform the process is unavailable
- ex:
Deep comatose
Neonates born with
significant and major defects
Involuntary Euthanasia:
- When the individual does not give his/her consent
briefly explain Active/Positive and Passive/Negative Euthanasia
Active/Positive Euthanasia:
- actions that speed up the process of dying
- when a medical practitioner introduces an agent that results in the ultimate death of a dying patient
- this may be committed with or without the consent of the dying patient
Passive/Negative Euthanasia:
- no heroic measures taken to preserve life
- this is impliedly recognized in healthcare settings with the use of “Do Not Resuscitate” or “No Code” orders
- closely related too this concept of withholding or withdrawing treatment
briefly explain the Active/Positive Euthanasia on committed with and without consent of the dying patient
Committed with consent of the dying patient:
- Medical practitioner gives assistance to a patient who wants to commit suicide to end his/her suffering
Committed without consent of the dying patient:
- Medical practitioner overrides the autonomy and willingness of a dying patient
true or false:
All forms of active euthanasia are prohibited in the PH both on ethical & legal standpoints
true
briefly explain the withholding and withdrawing treatment in a Passive/Negative Euthanasia
Withholding treatment:
- Decision of the patient or his/her representative to refrain from giving permission for treatment or care
Withdrawing treatment:
- Decision of the patient or his/her representative to discontinue activities or remove forms of patient care
why is Euthanasia not observed in the Philippines
due to its ethical & legal complications
- Act of the medical practitioner overrides the right of the patient to self-determination
- His/her act runs contrary to his/her solemn oath to do no harm
- His/her act is not beneficial to his/her patient
- His/her act fails to carry his/her duty to preserve life
- The act of the medical practitioner is willful & deliberate, with full knowledge that his/her act will cause the death of the patient
what happens if a doctor resorts to mercy killing/ euthanasia w/o patient consent
liable for murder
when was active euthanasia legal and in what countries
March 2021
(table)
countries:
Netherlands
Belgium
Luxembourg
Canada
Columbia
Spain
New Zealand
*Passive euthanasia is allowed in many countries across the world, India being one of them