Personal and Professional Concerns
Evidence-Based Pregnancy Care
Moral, Ethical, and Spiritual Struggles
When pregnant women consult their healthcare providers in some parts of the United States, they may encounter professionals who are unsure of what they can do or say because of recent changes in laws aimed at banning or significantly restricting the termination of their pregnancies. In addition, some laws make it illegal to help a person travel to another state for an abortion. Beyond the law are the moral and spiritual concerns of those who are pregnant and those providing pregnancy care.
The primary concern is of course for the girl or woman seeking pregnancy care from her physician. Even in this age of modern medical miracles, girls and women can face serious health risks during pregnancy. Additionally, the growing child within her may have serious medical concerns. Thus, the primary focus is on the patient and physician.
A secondary group of professionals is the attorneys who advise physicians, healthcare providers, and patients regarding what they can or cannot say or do regarding the termination of a pregnancy. Laws are not always clear. Not surprisingly, healthcare providers are reluctant to put their careers at risk by making the wrong decision concerning their patient or by violating the law. In addition, women, or the parents of pregnant girls are also concerned about their rights.
A third group are psychologists and other mental healthcare workers who must deal with issues of confidentiality and conscience as they seek to alleviate suffering in their patients. Pregnancy is often a time for joy. But being pregnant and the context surrounding pregnancy can evoke anxiety, depression, and considerable distress. Existing mental health conditions can worsen considerably. At times, mental health clinicians are an important part of pregnancy care.
Thinking About Pregnant Women and Ethical / Legal Conflicts
As a retired psychologist with years of practice in hospital settings, I found two recent presentations helpful in thinking about the difficulties faced by women and healthcare workers.
One source was a 60 minutes segment that aired Sunday 3 November 2024.
Doctors fear Texas' strict abortion laws put pregnant women in danger | 60 Minutes - CBS News https://www.cbsnews.com/news/doctors-say-texas-strict-abortion-laws-put-pregnant-women-and-physicians-at-risk-60-minutes-transcript/
Another source is the American Psychological Association, which has presented information online.
APA Resolution on Confidentiality and Reproductive Health
https://www.apa.org/about/policy/resolution-confidentiality-reproductive-health
Of course, the difficulties women and providers face vary with the laws that govern their lives, which can often mean consulting a local attorney for advice. Healthcare providers may have access to advice from their place of work or their malpractice insurance company.
Now add in religion. Some religious leaders maintain that life begins at conception and that the conceptus is a person with a right to life. In this worldview, a pregnant girl or woman has no choice over the new life that has begun. Lawmakers, judges, physicians, and psychologists take their religious faith to work. And faith makes a difference. Of course, most American women are also religious and faith can produce spiritual struggles that may add to any other sources of stress she experiences.
In all of these considerations, let us not forget the urgent real-life concerns faced by pregnant girls and women.
It’s the 5th of November 2024. By tomorrow, laws may change. And they may change in many states in the near future. The need for compassionate and evidence-based pregnancy care will be with us for many years to come.
Resources
When does life begin?
NPR on the different views of religions 2022
https://www.npr.org/2022/05/08/1097274169/when-does-life-begin-religions-dont-agree
US Conference of Catholic Bishops
https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/abortion/respect-for-unborn-human-life
A Jewish View
http://www.reclaimingjudaism.org/teachings/when-does-life-begin-jewish-view
Medical Ethics
Journal of Medical Ethics essay: “Conscientious commitment, professional obligations and abortion provision after the reversal of Roe v Wade”
https://jme.bmj.com/content/50/5/351
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