Introduction
The debate over abortion rights in the US is currently heated because of the Roe v. Wade decision overturned by the supreme court. This allows the states to decide their own abortion laws independently of one another or the federal government. The debate presents two different points of view: Doctor Williams advocates for the primacy of a mother’s rights over those of her unborn child. Doctor Meadows, on the other hand, urges to err on the side of caution when deciding where life begins.
Feelings on the Scenario
I feel that Doctor Meadows was in the right on the subject at hand from an ethical perspective. I voted for option B in the final question, because ultimately, the decision to have a child is entirely dependent on the mother’s actions prior to conception. We do not know where life begins and where it ends. At the same time, we do have multiple forms of contraception available for people. Unwanted pregnancy is almost always the consequence of poor decision-making, and it is wrong to punish unborn children for these mistakes.
Ethical Theories
The presented opinion can be analyzed through the prism of utilitarianism, Kantian ethics, and virtue ethics. From a utilitarian perspective, an unwanted pregnancy carried to term weights the potential suffering of a mother versus the death of the unborn fetus. Death is considered the ultimate form of suffering by utilitarians, meaning that it could only be justified if a mother is likely to die giving childbirth (Pence, 2017). Kantian categoric imperative paints a world where all pregnancies are carried out, regardless of consequences. Such a world would offer suffering to mothers as well as children, but also will also likely affect decision-making when it comes to sex, potentially contributing to safety. Finally, virtue ethics value prudence as a means of preventing unwanted pregnancies prior to conception (Pence, 2017). Therefore, a case could be made against abortion on all three accounts.
Conclusion
Abortion is a highly contested topic both in the political and the medical fields. Doctors Williams and Meadows offer their views for and against abortion. From an ethical perspective, abortion should be made illegal, because preventing pregnancies is completely within the ability of a woman to control. It is ethical to err on the side of caution, if it means protecting potential life.
Reference
Pence, G. (2017). Medical ethics: Accounts of ground-breaking cases (8th ed.). Graw-Hill.