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Table of Contents
pt. I. The human drama of abortion
1. Listening to women : why they have abortions
The story of a peasant
A middle-class urban woman
A young, idealistic career woman
A mature, well-to-do physician
A working-class teenager
2. The meaning of words
The need to define terms related to abortion
The reproductive process
From embryo to newborn baby
The beginning of pregnancy and of a new individual
Ectopic pregnancy
Defining induced abortion
Safe and unsafe abortion
Methods of pregnancy termination
"Partial-birth" abortion
Menstrual regulation
3. The magnitude of induced abortion
Worldwide estimations
Regional differences in induced abortions
Regional differences in unsafe abortions
4. Consequences of unsafe abortion
Maternal mortality
Physical complications
Psychological consequences
Social consequences
Economic consequences
Factors that influence the severity of the consequences of abortion
5. Why women get pregnant when they do not want to
Lack of knowledge of contraceptive methods
Lack of access to contraceptive methods
Failure of contraceptive methods
Lack of control in sexual relationships
6. Why is a pregnancy so unwanted that it ends in abortion?
The absence of the father
Financial constraints
The inability to provide good parenting/interference with life prospects
Conflict with prevailing social norms
Health concerns
Lack of social support
pt. II. Values
7. Conflicting values encountered health professionals
Health professionals and the value of life
Obstetricians and the fetus
Medical technology and the presence of the fetus
Technology and the acceptance of abortion
Obstetricians and unwanted pregnancies
Cultural pressures
Public condemnation and private acceptance
From accepting the exception to understanding the rule
8. Religious values
The historical context of Christian perspectives
Christian values about abortion
The current position of the Catholic Church
Protestant perspectives on abortion
Jewish perspectives on abortion
Muslim perspectives on abortion
Hindu perspectives on abortion
Buddhist perspectives on abortion
Chinese perspectives on abortion
Is a religious consensus possible?
9. Ethical values
Our understanding of ethics
The four principles of bioethics
The bioethical principles applied to abortion
The ethical dilemma for gynecologists/obstetricians
Our reflections on ethical values concerning abortion
10. Values as reflected in the law
Legal systems
Legal systems and abortion
The legality of abortion around the world
Human rights declarations and conventions
Abortion laws and human rights
General conclusion on abortion and the law
pt. III. Improving the situation
11. How to decrease the number of abortions
Legal and moral prohibition
Prevention of unwanted pregnancies
Contraceptive services and the reduction of unwanted pregnancies
Increase women's power
Social support for motherhood
12. How to reduce the human, social, and economic costs of abortion
Improving women's status in society
Decriminalizing or extending legal grounds for abortion
Improving access to legal abortion
A fairer, more liberal interpretation of the law
Access to high quality post-abortion care
A more positive attitude among health care workers
13. The paradox : rejecting abortion and opposing the prevention of unwanted pregnancies
Opposition to "artificial" contraceptive methods
Opposition to contraceptive methods under the allegation that they induce abortions
Opposition to sex education
Abortion-promoting effects of "anti-abortion" politics
pt. IV. Seeking a consensus
14. How to reach a consensus on abortion
The social need for an "overlapping consensus"
Is an "overlapping consensus" on abortion possible?
The basis for an "overlapping consensus" on abortion
Some reflections on the process for achieving consensus.
1. Listening to women : why they have abortions
The story of a peasant
A middle-class urban woman
A young, idealistic career woman
A mature, well-to-do physician
A working-class teenager
2. The meaning of words
The need to define terms related to abortion
The reproductive process
From embryo to newborn baby
The beginning of pregnancy and of a new individual
Ectopic pregnancy
Defining induced abortion
Safe and unsafe abortion
Methods of pregnancy termination
"Partial-birth" abortion
Menstrual regulation
3. The magnitude of induced abortion
Worldwide estimations
Regional differences in induced abortions
Regional differences in unsafe abortions
4. Consequences of unsafe abortion
Maternal mortality
Physical complications
Psychological consequences
Social consequences
Economic consequences
Factors that influence the severity of the consequences of abortion
5. Why women get pregnant when they do not want to
Lack of knowledge of contraceptive methods
Lack of access to contraceptive methods
Failure of contraceptive methods
Lack of control in sexual relationships
6. Why is a pregnancy so unwanted that it ends in abortion?
The absence of the father
Financial constraints
The inability to provide good parenting/interference with life prospects
Conflict with prevailing social norms
Health concerns
Lack of social support
pt. II. Values
7. Conflicting values encountered health professionals
Health professionals and the value of life
Obstetricians and the fetus
Medical technology and the presence of the fetus
Technology and the acceptance of abortion
Obstetricians and unwanted pregnancies
Cultural pressures
Public condemnation and private acceptance
From accepting the exception to understanding the rule
8. Religious values
The historical context of Christian perspectives
Christian values about abortion
The current position of the Catholic Church
Protestant perspectives on abortion
Jewish perspectives on abortion
Muslim perspectives on abortion
Hindu perspectives on abortion
Buddhist perspectives on abortion
Chinese perspectives on abortion
Is a religious consensus possible?
9. Ethical values
Our understanding of ethics
The four principles of bioethics
The bioethical principles applied to abortion
The ethical dilemma for gynecologists/obstetricians
Our reflections on ethical values concerning abortion
10. Values as reflected in the law
Legal systems
Legal systems and abortion
The legality of abortion around the world
Human rights declarations and conventions
Abortion laws and human rights
General conclusion on abortion and the law
pt. III. Improving the situation
11. How to decrease the number of abortions
Legal and moral prohibition
Prevention of unwanted pregnancies
Contraceptive services and the reduction of unwanted pregnancies
Increase women's power
Social support for motherhood
12. How to reduce the human, social, and economic costs of abortion
Improving women's status in society
Decriminalizing or extending legal grounds for abortion
Improving access to legal abortion
A fairer, more liberal interpretation of the law
Access to high quality post-abortion care
A more positive attitude among health care workers
13. The paradox : rejecting abortion and opposing the prevention of unwanted pregnancies
Opposition to "artificial" contraceptive methods
Opposition to contraceptive methods under the allegation that they induce abortions
Opposition to sex education
Abortion-promoting effects of "anti-abortion" politics
pt. IV. Seeking a consensus
14. How to reach a consensus on abortion
The social need for an "overlapping consensus"
Is an "overlapping consensus" on abortion possible?
The basis for an "overlapping consensus" on abortion
Some reflections on the process for achieving consensus.