Thiele Allison T, Leier Brendan
College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Regina SK.
Clinical Ethicist, University of Alberta and Stollery Children's Hospitals, Edmonton AB; Clinical Assistant Professor, John Dossetor Health Ethics Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB.
J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2010 Jan;32(1):54-57. doi: 10.1016/S1701-2163(16)34405-X.
The troubling practice of fetal sex selection has historically been considered an Asian phenomenon. However, recent evidence shows that a similar situation is emerging in North America, albeit on a smaller scale. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada has firmly stated its opposition to sex selection for non-medical reasons, as well as to the use of any technology used solely for the purpose of determining fetal sex. However, because fetal sex may be disclosed to the parents at the time of ultrasound examination if they request this information, guidance for health care professionals to assist in discouraging fetal sex selection would be useful. Because no declaration of motives or reasons is required when a woman seeks a termination of pregnancy, we suggest that health care professionals need not disclose the sex of a fetus until it has reached a gestational age at which abortion for non-medical purposes would not be possible. This proposal would facilitate consistency between clinical practice and the values of Canadian citizens, the SOGC, the Canadian Medical Association, and other professional organizations, while still respecting current laws pertaining to disclosure of patient information and patients' rights to autonomous decision-making.
胎儿性别选择这种令人不安的做法在历史上一直被视为亚洲现象。然而，最近的证据表明，类似的情况正在北美出现，尽管规模较小。加拿大妇产科医师协会已明确表示反对非医学原因的性别选择，以及反对仅用于确定胎儿性别的任何技术的使用。然而，由于如果父母要求，在超声检查时可能会向他们透露胎儿性别，因此为医护人员提供指导以帮助劝阻胎儿性别选择将是有益的。由于女性寻求终止妊娠时无需声明动机或理由，我们建议医护人员在胎儿达到非医学目的堕胎不可能进行的孕周之前，不必透露胎儿性别。这一提议将促进临床实践与加拿大公民、加拿大妇产科医师协会、加拿大医学协会及其他专业组织的价值观之间的一致性，同时仍尊重现行有关患者信息披露的法律以及患者自主决策的权利。
