In rare cases, intact dilation and extraction abortions are used. These are commonly referred to as ―partial-birth abortions‖, and were outlawed in the United States by the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act in 2003. This act was narrowly upheld by conservative Supreme Court justices in a 5-4 decision back in 2007. Medical Dictionary describes the medical process involved:
IDX first involves administration of medications to cause the cervix to dilate. Dilation usually occurs over the course of several days. Next, the physician rotates the foetus to a footling breech position. The body of the foetus is then drawn out of the uterus feet first, until only the head remains inside the uterus. The physician
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then uses an instrument to puncture the base of the skull, which collapses the foetal head. Typically, the contents of the fetal head are then partially suctioned out, which results in the death of the fetus and reduces the size of the fetal head enough to allow it to pass through the cervix. The dead but otherwise intact fetus is then removed from the woman‘s body.35
Many of the abortion methods discussed in this section are disturbing, particularly the later surgical ones. For many people, such a sense of revulsion is enough to judge these abortion practices immoral. However, revulsion alone is not always a good indicator of an action‘s moral worth. Consider, for example, the sense of revulsion that we might experience when witnessing similar abortion methods performed on pregnant animals, such as dogs, chimpanzees or elephants. There is something grizzly about the surgical procedures themselves that are inherently disturbing even when not performed on humans, and that must be factored into the equation.
Thus, while there may be an important place for our emotional reactions when assessing moral controversies, they are not magical indicators of where the truth lies, and they should not override our more impartial reasoning on issues. Consequently, the next Chapter will explore model arguments for and against abortion that are based on issues more fundamental than the human sense of revulsion.
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Endnotes
1. D. Callaham, ―Abortion‖, World Book Encyclopaedia, (Chicago, Child-craft International Inc., 1979), p. 149.
2. Hastened Birth or Premature Induction of birth.
3. Gestation: time lapse between conception and delivery.
4. A. Niedermeyer, Compendium of Pastoral Medicine, (New York, Joseph F.W.
Inc., 1960), p. 211.
5. D. Callaham, op. cit., p. 149.
6. Ibid.
7. Ibid.
8. J. Okoye, Abortion and Euthanasia the Crime of Our Day, (Awka, Kecena Damian press, 1987), p. 17.
9. D. Callaham, op. cit., p. 149.
10. J. Okoye, p. 17.
11. Obielu, Studies in Ethics, A moderated Research Work, St. Joseph‘s Seminary, Ikot Ekpene.
12. T. J., Higgins, Man as Man. (U.S.A: Bruce Publishers, 1956), p. 70.
13. C. M. Ekwutosi, Bioethics: History and Contemporary Issues, 14. Ibid.
15. See M. O. Izunwa, ―Right to Life and Abortion Debate in Nigeria: A Case for the Legislation of the Principle of Double-Effect‖, in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Journal of International Law and Jurisprudence, Vol. 2, (2001), p.
114.
16. C. M. Ekwutosi, Bioethics: History and Contemporary Issues,
17. James Fieser, ―Moral Issues that Divide us and Applied Ethics‖, http//www://utm.edu, (20/03/2016).
18. Ibid.
19. Ibid.
20. Ibid.
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21. Cited in Louis-Kennedy Osinachi Ilobinso, ―Policy on Abortion in the Nigerian Society: Ethical Considerations‖, p. 17.
22. Ibid.
23. J.Matt, ―Abortion Methods:An Overview‖,httpwww://wellspentjourney.
wordpress.org/evidence-for-christianity, (20/03/2016).
24. Ibid.
25. ―Abortion Surveillance United States, 2003 (CDC)‖,
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5511a1.htm, (20/03/2016).
26. J. Matt, ―Abortion Methods‖.
27. James Fieser, ―Moral Issues that Divide us and Applied Ethics‖, 28. J. Matt, ―Abortion Methods‖.
29. American Pregnancy Association, ―Concerns Regarding Early Fetal Development‖, http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/ea rlyfetaldevelopment.htm, (20/03/2016).
30. James Fieser, ―Moral Issues that Divide us and Applied Ethics‖.
31. Dr. Anthony Levatino testimony before US House subcommittee, May 17, 2012.
32. James Fieser, ―Moral Issues that Divide us and Applied Ethics‖, 33. www.prochoice.com/abort_how.html, (20/03/2016).
34. Medical Dictionary The Free Dictionary. Abortion, partial birth. http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/partial+birth+abortionwww.utm.edu/staff/jfie ser/class, (20/03/2016).
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CHAPTER FOUR: THE ABORTION DEBATE 4. The Abortion Debate
It was underlined in Chapter Three of this dissertation that the medical methods used in procuring abortion involve procedures that are particularly revolting to human sense of morality. That Chapter observed that most non-experts in moral argumentation generally tend to stand on this sense of revulsion to condemn abortion as immoral. However, the Chapter was quick to add that sense of moral revulsion in itself was not enough to determine the morality of actions. To say the least, there are actions that are morally revolting to some people‘ killing of some animals for example but which are conventionally not judged as immoral.
Based on this, the present Chapter will go beyond mere sense of moral revulsion to scrutinize some of the most cogent arguments that the proponents and opponents of abortion use to make their case for and against abortion. The Chapter begins with a presentation of the arguments of abortion advocates and cumulatively navigate to the arguments of abortion opponents. The crux of the chapter is an attempt to appraise these model pro and anti-abortion arguments. The aim is to portray these arguments as not morally compelling enough to solve the abortion controversy. This therefore will pave the way for projecting the principles of Double Effect and Principle of Identity already spoken about in the previous chapters which we shall be proposing in Chapter Five as the most viable solution to the abortion impasse.
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However, as a way of introducing these arguments, let us sketch the history and current legal status of the abortion debate by presenting the data of countries around the world that have legalized abortion.