Present technological advances in prenatal diagnostics have provided insight into the significant fetal anomalies that affect many women or families. After the diagnosis, families are faced with the dilemma of decision making on whether to terminate the pregnancy or not. Prenatal detection of fetal abnormalities has become a significant function of the screening procedure ( Paintin, 2019 ). The dilemma of the moral status of the human fetus results in a debate that involves the metaphysical perspective of abortion and the theological argument, a further analysis highlights which of the two moral standing has a significant moral implication. There is a concern as to the full moral standing that involves the right to life, particularly raising concerns on the development of the fertilized ovum to maturing explicitly as a determination to the right to life.
Christians consider that human is divine beings with the image and likeness of God as per the book of Genesis. As a result, the natural law provides that various human goods develop from the human person, which determines their flourishing that fundamentally depends on ethical decisions. Christians consider the human person as a being with two basic elements that are the matter and the spirit. Aristotle, Aquinas, and Boethius base their model of the human being according to the belief of Christians ( Gillon, 2017 ). The start of human beings emanates right from conception to human embryo, which then develops through an internal and animated principle to a full-blown adult. Therefore, throughout the anthropological teachings of the bible, the emphasis has been on the body and soul as inseparable elements of the human person. A further version according to Peter Singer’s who insists on the utilitarianism nature of the human individual as a social being and having a sense of future, enjoys the protection of the law. However, the notion of discriminates and maltreats embryos as being pre-persons or non-persons ( Cormier, 2018 ). The reasons for the Christian view, therefore, aids in countering the controversial view of utilitarianism by insisting on humans as an element created like God and for God’s purpose. Therefore humans are the stewards of creation and have personal, relational tools. Creation is further considered as a covenantal structure where God is committed to the welfare of humankind and purposefully to serve and fellowship together ( Buchanan, 2019 ).
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The compatibility theory of moral status insists on how a being counts morally in their right. Kant, for instance, posits that only those persons with a practical sense of rationality have moral standings. However, Bentham puts forth that all beings count morally in their own right. Therefore, the two views help us determine that moral status have a comparative notion in the sense that one must have a higher moral status than the other ( Cormier, 2018 ). In this regard, the prenatal diagnostics exposing a fetal abnormality to instigate abortion or continue a pregnancy will base on the moral status of the human embryo.
Determination of the Moral Status
The arguments for and against the moral status of the fetuses are based on the conflicting moral theories about the moral behavior and rights of the fetuses. Based on the Christian or Conservative view, an embryo and a fetus have the same entity as a later human being. Otherwise, there is a determination as to whether the embryo is incapable of exercising their rights at particular times ( Buchanan, 2019 ). In this regard, the practical moral implication of moral status is based on the various dilemmas, such as the counterposing duties that ensure fetal health against the rights of autonomy and privacy. Further, should the women's autonomy be a consideration when making significant decisions on life or death, or the fundamental obligation of parents to protect their offspring s and defend them for their weakness and helplessness? Therefore, as mentioned earlier, the Aristotelian hylomorphic theory, the natural law theory, and the classical utilitarian thoughts all contribute to the embryology, and the feminist focus on the decisions undertaken by the moral agents ( Gillon, 2017 ). As a result, what feels moral to be permitted, and what feels wrong to be forbidden, should be a consideration on making a decision that entails moral status.
Based on the case study, the bond between Jessica and her fetus that increase the moral status because of the awareness and the increasingly obvious state of the pregnancy that Jessica has carried for four months now, getting attached to have a feeling of the responsibility and the welfare of their child, though abnormal, from the doctor’s prenatal diagnostic test. Therefore, the consent of the woman is needed to intervene in any manner as a consideration to reduce the risk of harm of the fetus. Besides, the wellbeing of the fetus yet to be born, considered as the future child of Marco’s family, should be a concern for both parents. Thus, both their consent is necessary to make a decision when intervening in the pregnancy. However, it is challenging to respect the autonomy of Jessica to provide the potential benefits of fetal medicine interventions. Jessica’s view will sharply differ from the doctor’s view, with the latter aiming at minimizing the risk of her and the fetus, while the former aims at getting the reward of the pregnancy ( Paintin, 2019 ). As a result, there will be an adversarial relationship between the family members and the healthcare provider, resulting in an adverse outcome.
Recommendation for Action
To avoid disaster looming because of the family or Jessica in particular who rejects abortion as an intervention procedure, healthcare providers have the responsibility to ensure that the Jessica or family accept the outcome. Ethically, the woman should maintain responsibility for the fetus and her decision to protect it. The doctor should, however, ensure that he builds trust so that Jessica is not forcefully put under the abortion intervention measures against her will.
Personal Response to Case Study
In my view, since the human embryo is considered as a person that will develop into an adult, Christians emphasize the need for respect for human life. Hence, they do not recommend abortion as an intervention measure. In this sense, Bentham also emphasizes that all beings count morally in their own right. Thus the fetus has a moral status to grow into an adult. However, considering the concern of the health of the fetus, and the state of the family, after prenatal diagnosis, the view of the doctor should also be put into concern. According to Kant, the doctor has the moral right to intervene in the pregnancy by terminating it because of the rational moral standing of the health and state of the fetus and the family involved. A consensus, consent, and trust should be the intervening factors that guide such decisions to enhance a collaborative and unanimous decision arrived at by both the parties.
References
Buchanan, A. (2019). Moral status and human enhancement. Philosophy & Public Affairs , 37 (4), 346-381.
Cormier, L. R. (2018). The moral status of human fetuses.
Gillon, R. (2017). Is there a ‘new ethics of abortion’?. Journal of Medical Ethics , 27 (suppl 2), ii5-ii9.
Paintin, D. (2019). Book of the Month: Ethical Issues in Maternal–Fetal Medicine.
