Ethical Challenges in the Management of Pregnancies Complicated by Fetal Anomalies

Abstract

Ethics is an essential dimension of the clinical management of pregnancies complicated by fetal anomalies. Appealing to the ethical principles of beneficence and respect for autonomy, this reviews explicates the ethical concept of the ‘fetus as a patient’. This concept provides the basis for a comprehensive approach to ethical challenges in the management of pregnancies complicated by fetal anomalies. Practice, ethically justified guidance is given for the physician's role in counseling pregnant women about aggressive management, termination of pregnancy, selective termination of multifetal pregnancies, non- aggressive management, and cephalocentesis.