Ethics Governing Antenatal Screening and its Implications

Sahreen Malik Bhanji*, Neelam Saleem**
*-**Student, Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery, Pakistan.
Periodicity:May - July'2014
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jnur.4.2.2775

Abstract

Recently, antenatal screening has become one of the routine investigations during pregnancy-follow up and also the subject of debate in bioethics. The issue of screening for fetal anomalies involves several ethical and legal considerations. The obligation to protect and promote the health-related interests of the patient is the basic starting point for ethics in clinical practice. Whether the decision is abortion or continuing the pregnancy, clinicians need to support the patient and provide them enough knowledge while respecting their autonomy. It is the primary responsibility of the physician to break a bad news lies. Therefore, it is equally important that the physician provides emotional and psychological support while giving full information to their patients. However, the issue invites a conflict between, a number of ethical principles which need to be balanced in order to justify the correct decision made.

Keywords

Antenatal, Ethical Principles, Legal, Abortion.

How to Cite this Article?

Bhanji, S.M., and Punjani, N.S. (2014). Ethics Governing Antenatal Screening and its Implications. i-manager’s Journal on Nursing, 4(2), 36-39. https://doi.org/10.26634/jnur.4.2.2775

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