Ethical Issues in Maternal-Fetal Medicine

This book addresses the ethical problems in maternal-fetal medicine which impact directly on clinical practice. It is divided into parts by the stages of pregnancy and looks at issues of power, new technology, 'designer babies', and cultural, religious difference. It unites analytic philosophy and actual practice for clinicians.

This book brings together an unusually broad range of experts from reproductive medicine, medical ethics and law to address the important ethical problems in maternal-fetal medicine which impact directly on clinical practice. The book is divided into parts by the stages of pregnancy, within which the authors cover four main areas: • the balance of power in the doctor-patient relationship and the justifiable limits of paternalism and autonomy • the impact of new technologies and new diseases • disability and enhancement (the 'designer baby') • difference - to what extent should the clinician respect the tenets of other faiths in a multicultural society, even when the doctor believes requested interventions or non-interventions to be morally wrong? The aim throughout is to unite analytic philosophy and actual practice. This is an important text not only for clinicians involved in human reproduction, but also philosophers and lawyers.