What is abortion?
The deliberate termination of a pregnancy
What has to happen for an abortion to take place?
For an abortion to take place, two doctors have to agree that there is a good reason
What are the laws regarding abortion?
- The mother’s life is at risk
- The mother’s physical or mental health is at risk
- The baby will be mentally or physically disabled if born
- There is a risk of harm to existing children
When can abortions take place?
Abortions generally have to take place before 24 weeks of pregnancy unless the mother’s life is at risk
Do father’s have any rights regarding abortion?
No, the father has no rights
What is pro-life?
For the life of the potential baby, therefore against abortion
What is pro-choice?
For the choice of the mother, if she wants to have an abortion, she can have it
When do Catholic Churches believe life begins?
For the Catholic Church and many Evangelical Christians, life starts at conception
When do Muslims believe that life begins?
Muslims believe that life starts at ensoulment - when the foetus receives its soul. This takes place 120 days after pregnancy
What are arguments for pro-life?
- Only God can decide who dies - if you get an abortion you’re playing God
- Life begns at conception - as it has a soul and has the potential to become human
- Everyone has a right to be here, no matter their background
- The child has a right to live
- Life is sacred
- Life should be celebrated not tolerated
- Islamic view - after 6 weeks the soul is breathed into the child. It is a living creature and servant of God
- If you’re mature enough to enter a sexual relationship you need to accept the consequenced
- Catholic view - after six weeks there is a beating heart and the foetus has arms and legs
What are arguments for pro-choice?
- Women have the right and choice to choose when to become mothers
- Some people are too young to have children
- It’s not fair to bring a child into this world if it’s not wanted
- The foetus cannot live independently outside of the mother
- Life starts when the child is born
- The rights of the mother trump the rights of the foetus
- People shouldn’t be forced into having a baby
- People should be able to choose what they do with their bodies
- Humanist view - there is no such thing as an unnecessary abortion
- The mother will be the one raising the child so they should have a choice
What is euthanasia?
Euthanasia is a ‘good death’; it is the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful diseases or an irreversible coma
Is euthanasia legal?
- It is illegal in the UK and most countries
- Legal in Netherlands according to strict criteria
- In Switzerland, a doctor can assist suicide
What are different types of euthanasia?
Voluntary
Involuntary
Non-voluntary
Active
Passive
What is voluntary euthanasia?
Voluntary euthanasia is when the person requests for their life to end
What is involuntary euthanasia?
Involuntary euthanasia is when someone’s life is ended without their consent to prevent their suffering
What is non-voluntary euthanasia?
Non-voluntary euthanasia is when someone is unable to request to die and doctors end their life in their best interest with the family’s consent
What is active euthanasia?
Active euthanasia is actively doing something to end someone’s life (lethal inection)
What is passive euthanasia?
Passive euthanasia is when treatment is withdrawn or not given, which speeds up their death (e.g. stopping feeding tube or life support machine)
