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Surgical abortion at twenty weeks: is morality determined solely by the outcome?

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Affiliations

  • 1. St James's University Hospital, Leeds.
      Authors
    • Lilford RJ 1
    (1 author)

Journal of Medical Ethics, 01 Jun 1989, 15(2):82-85
https://doi.org/10.1136/jme.15.2.82 PMID: 2746608 PMCID: PMC1375785

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A comment on this article appears in "Morality of surgical abortion at twenty weeks." J Med Ethics. 1990 Mar;16(1):53-4.

Abstract 

A strong body of opinion contends that late terminations of pregnancy are better carried out by surgical methods. We show that the suggested advantages of greater safety and patient acceptance are based on out-of-date or inaccurate (biased) data. The advantages of medical methods are, however, equally unproven. However, we argue that the adverse emotional and symbolic effects of late surgical termination have moral force. We therefore contend that in the absence of strong patient preference, medical termination is the preferable method; and will remain of that opinion unless clear demonstration of the greater safety of surgical methods can be made at some future date.

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Logo of jmedethLink to Publisher's site
J Med Ethics. 1989 Jun; 15(2): 82–85.
PMCID: PMC1375785
PMID: 2746608

Surgical abortion at twenty weeks: is morality determined solely by the outcome?

R J Lilford and N Johnson
Author information Copyright and License information Disclaimer

Abstract

A strong body of opinion contends that late terminations of pregnancy are better carried out by surgical methods. We show that the suggested advantages of greater safety and patient acceptance are based on out-of-date or inaccurate (biased) data. The advantages of medical methods are, however, equally unproven. However, we argue that the adverse emotional and symbolic effects of late surgical termination have moral force. We therefore contend that in the absence of strong patient preference, medical termination is the preferable method; and will remain of that opinion unless clear demonstration of the greater safety of surgical methods can be made at some future date.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
  • Grimes DA, Schulz KF, Cates W, Jr, Tyler CW., Jr Mid-trimester abortion by dilatation and evacuation: a safe and practical alternative. N Engl J Med. 1977 May 19;296(20):1141–1145. [Abstract] [Google Scholar]
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  • Richardson JA, Dixon G. Effects of legal termination on subsequent pregnancy. Br Med J. 1976 May 29;1(6021):1303–1304. [Europe PMC free article] [Abstract] [Google Scholar]
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