Engel J B, Hönig A, Häusler S F M, Rehn M, Dietl J, Djakovic A
Universitäts-Frauenklinik, Würzburg, Germany.
Z Geburtshilfe Neonatol. 2011 Dec;215(6):230-3. doi: 10.1055/s-0031-1287857. Epub 2012 Jan 24.
The current study investigates if an inductive method for the generation of ethical principles can be applied to the crucial moral question if late interruption of pregnancy due to fetal disease is ethically adequate.
This method originates from the US American philosopher John Rawls and puts a group of so-called competent moral investigators in the beginning of the decision process. These competent moral investigators should be objective, tolerant and sensitive. Thus, real cases which lead to an intuitive, unanimous and clear decision of the competent moral investigators are analysed for the underlying ethical principles. The ethical principles thus detected are then applied to more complicated cases which could not be assessed clearly.
In the current study, the case of foetal trisomy 18 and foetal palate cleft could be clearly judged with a yes and a no, respectively, with regard to an approval of late interruption of pregnancy. The underlying ethical principle leading to these decisions is the utilitaristic principle of minimising harm for mother and fetus.
We then tried to apply this principle to a case of foetal trisomy 21, however, no clear decision for an approval or a disapproval of the interruption of pregnancy could be found as it was not possible to assess foetal interests.
