American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Volume 201, Issue 6 , Pages 560.e1-560.e6 , December 2009

An ethically justified practical approach to offering, recommending, performing, and referring for induced abortion and feticide

  • Frank A. Chervenak, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY
    • ,
  • Laurence B. McCullough, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

Received 7 November 2008 ,Revised 22 April 2009 ,Accepted 28 May 2009.

References 

  1. Johnson LSM. Abortion II: contemporary ethical and legal aspects: A. ethical perspectives. In:  Post SG editors. Encyclopedia of bioethics. 3rd ed.. New York: Macmillan Reference USA; 2004;p. 7–18
  2. Allen AL. Abortion II: contemporary ethical and legal aspects: B. legal and regulatory issues. In:  Post SG editors. Encyclopedia of bioethics. 3rd ed.. New York: Macmillan Reference USA; 2004;p. 18–28
  3. American Medical Association. E-201 Abortion. http://www.ama-assn.org/apps/pf_new/pf_online?f_n=browse&doc=policyfiles/HnE/E-2.01.HTM&&s_t=&st_p=&nth=1&prev_pol=policyfiles/HnE/E-1.02.HTM&nxt_pol=policyfiles/HnE/E-2.01.HTM&Accessed Nov. 2, 2008
  4. American Medical Association. E-5.05 Confidentiality. http://www.ama-assn.org/apps/pf_new/pf_online?f_n=browse&doc=policyfiles/HnE/E-5.05.HTM&&s_t=&st_p=&nth=1&prev_pol=policyfiles/HnE/E-4.07.HTM&nxt_pol=policyfiles/HnE/E-5.01.HTM&Accessed Nov. 2, 2008
  5. American Medical Association. H-5.983. Pregnancy terminationz. http://www.ama-assn.org/apps/pf_new/pf_online?f_n=browse&n_p=T&&s_t=&st_p=&nth=1&prev_pol=policyfiles/HnE/H-5.988.HTM&nxt_pol=policyfiles/HnE/H-5.990.HTM&Accessed Nov. 2, 2008
  6. American Medical Association. H-5.990 Policy on abortion. http://www.ama-assn.org/apps/pf_new/pf_online?f_n=browse&p_p=T&&s_t=&st_p=&nth=1&prev_pol=policyfiles/HnE/H-5.990.HTM&nxt_pol=policyfiles/HnE/H-5.992.HTM&Accessed Nov. 2, 2008
  7. American Medical Association. H-5.993 Right to privacy in termination of pregnancy. http://www.ama-assn.org/apps/pf_new/pf_online?f_n=browse&doc=policyfiles/HnE/H-5.993.HTM&&s_t=&st_p&nth=1&prev_=pol=policyfiles/HOD-TOC.HTM&nxt_pol=policyfiles/HnE/H-5.982.HTM&Accessed Nov. 2, 2008
  8. American Medical Association. H-5995. Abortion. http://www.ama-assn.org/apps/pf_new/pf_online?f_n=browse&doc=policyfiles/HnE/H-5.995.HTM&&s_t=&st_p=&nth=1&prev_pol=policyfiles/HOD-TOC.HTM&nxt_pol=policyfiles/HnE/H-5.982.HTM&Accessed Nov. 2, 2008
  9. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Committee on Practice Bulletins. Medical management of abortion (Clinical management guidelines for obstetrician-gynecologists no. 67). Obstet Gynecol. 2005;106:871–882
  10. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Committee on Ethics. Multifetal pregnancy reduction (ACOG committee opinion no. 369). Obstet Gynecol. 2007;109:1511–1515
  11. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Statement of Policy. Executive Board. Abortion policy. http://www.acog.org/publications/policy_statements/sop0009.cfmAccessed Nov. 2, 2008
  12. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Committee on Ethics. The limits of conscientious refusal in reproductive medicine (Opinion no. 385). Obstet Gynecol. 2007;110:1203–1208
  13. Stedman's Medical Dictionary. http://online.statref.com/DictionaryHelp/DictionaryHelp.aspx?type=dictionary&SessionId=E64234MHHTKYZGGZ&prnt=dlo&chwin=falseAccessed Jan. 25, 2009
  14. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Further issues relating to late abortion, fetal viability and registration of births and deaths. http://www.rcog.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=549Accessed Jan. 22, 2008
  15. Beauchamp TL, Childress JF. Principles of biomedical ethics. 5th ed.. New York: Oxford University Press; 2001;
  16. McCullough LB, Chervenak FA. Ethics in obstetrics and gynecology. New York: Oxford University Press; 1994;
  17. Nicolaides KH, Chervenak FA, McCullough LB, Avgidou K, Papageorghiou A. Evidence-based obstetric ethics and informed decision-making by pregnant women about invasive diagnosis after first-trimester assessment of risk for trisomy 21. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2005;193:322–326
  18. Chervenak FA, McCullough LB. Does obstetric ethics have any role in the obstetrician's response to the abortion controversy?. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1990;163:1425–1429
  19. Kurjak A, Carrera JM, McCullough LB, Chervenak FA. Scientific and religious controversies about the beginning of human life: the relevance of the ethical concept of the fetus as patient. J Perinat Med. 2007;35:376–383
  20. Chervenak FA, McCullough LB, Levene MI. An ethically justified, clinically comprehensive approach to periviability: gynaecological, obstetric, and perinatal dimensions. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2007;27:3–7
  21. Tyson JE, Parikh NA, Langer J, Green C, Higgins RD National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network. Intensive care for extreme prematurity—moving beyond gestational age. N Engl J Med. 2008;358:1672–1681
  22. Chervenak FA, McCullough LB, Campbell S. Is third trimester abortion justified?. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1995;102:434–435
  23. Chervenak FA, McCullough LB, Campbell S. Third trimester abortion: is compassion enough?. Br J Obstet Gynæcol. 1999;106:293–296
  24. Kurjak A, Chervenak FA. Controversies on the beginning of human life. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd; 2008;
  25. Baker RB, McCullough LB. The Cambridge world history of medical ethics. New York: Cambridge University Press; 2009;
  26. Chervenak FA, McCullough LB, Knapp RC, Caputo TA, Barber HR. A clinically comprehensive ethical framework for offering and recommending cancer treatment before and during pregnancy. Cancer. 2004;100:215–222
  27. Chervenak FA, McCullough LB, Sharma G, Davis J, Gross S. Enhancing patient autonomy with risk assessment and invasive diagnosis: an ethical solution to a clinical challenge. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2008;199:19;e1-4
  28. Thorp JM, Wells SR, Bowes WA, Cefalo RC. Integrity, abortion, and the pro-life perinatologist. Hastings Cent Rep. 1995;25:27–28
  29. Annas GJ. “Partial-birth abortion” and the Supreme Court. N Engl J Med. 2001;344:152–156
  30. American Medical Association. Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs. H-5.982 Late-term pregnancy termination techniques. http://www.ama-assn.org/apps/pf_new/pf_online?f_n=browse&doc=policyfiles/HnE/H-5.982.HTMAccessed Jan. 22, 2008
  31. Chervenak FA, McCullough LB. The ethics of direct and indirect referral for termination of pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2008;199:232.e1–232.e3

 Reprints not available from the authors.

 Cite this article as: Chervenak FA and McCullough LB. An ethically justified practical approach to offering, recommending, performing, and referring for induced abortion and feticide. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2009;201:560.e1-6.

PII: S0002-9378(09)00620-6

doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2009.05.057

American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Volume 201, Issue 6 , Pages 560.e1-560.e6 , December 2009

Article Tools