Ethics stuff

Question 1

Forgetting special circumstances, how many weeks gestation is the upper limit of abortion in the UK under the Abortion Act 1967?

Answer 1

24 weeks

Question 2

What special circumstances allow the usual gestational upper limit of abortion, under the Abortion Act 1967, to be over-ridden?

Answer 2

Necessary to save the woman’s life
Extreme fetal abnormality
Grave risk of physical and/or mental injury

Question 3

if a girl is aged under 16 what conditions must be satisfied in order for her to undergo an abortion without parental knowledge? (there are four)

Answer 3

• UNDERSTAND: Girl understands all aspects of the advice and implications
• PERSUADE: You can’t persuade her to tell her parents or for you to tell them
• HEALTH: The girl’s mental or physical health is likely to suffer without such treatment
• INTERESTS: It’s in the girl’s best interest to receive such treatment without the parent’s knowledge

Question 4

Under the Abortion Act 1967 what four justifications are there for providing an abortion?

Answer 4

• reduces risk to woman’s life
• reduces risk to her physical and/or mental health
• reduces risk to physical and/or mental health of existing children
• baby is at risk of severe physical/mental health issues