Approved Abortion

I just finished reading an interview of Lisa Harris, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Michigan. In the interview, she expressed her thoughts on abortion and which were quite enlightening as they emphasised the doctor's perspective.

The ethics of abortion was brought back into the media spotlight after the unfortunate death of Savita Halappanavar, an Irish dentist originally born in India. My heart goes out to her husband, who lost not one but two members of his family. Savita was pregnant when she found out that her had septicaemia, bacterial infection of the blood. Septicaemia can bring about acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) which reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the lungs and blood. Septicaemia can also lead to septic shocks. Here the infection causes the blood pressure to decrease significantly. Both of the above conditions can lead to death. Savita's body just couldn't handle the fighting the disease and harbouring the foetus. She was miscarrying and was denied an earlier termination. Which was seem to be, regrettably, the cause of her death on the 28th of october.

Abortion in Ireland is illegal. The doctors of Hospital had to wait for the foetus' heart to stop beating before they could perform an uterine evacuation. If the foetus was aborted earlier, there is a high chance that Savita could still be alive. As a result, Irish Abortion laws are coming back into scrutiny.

The predominant argument against abortion that is is morally wrong to 'kill' something that has the potential to possess life. However, Lisa Harris brings up the fact that pro-abortionist, stereotypically labeled as heartless or cold, have just as big a conscience as those against abortion.   Lives can be saved through the performance of septic abortions or other abortions that are needed due to medical complications. Legal abortions can prevent the deaths that occur as a result of 'underground' abortions carried out by under-qualified personnel. In conclusion the choice of abortion can be moral.

- "I wondered if the doctors who initially saw her felt morally compromised by the policy of their hospital" - Lisa Harris

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001355.htm
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000103.htm
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000668.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20461937
New Scientist Magazine ( Our Distant Origin Issue - 24/11/12)