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The Edge of LifeMoral Absolutism and Ectopic Pregnancy

The Edge of Life: Moral Absolutism and Ectopic Pregnancy CHAPTER 6 MORAL ABSOLUTISM AND ECTOPIC PREGNANCY If one accepts an absolute prohibition against the intentional taking of innocent human life from conception, cases of ectopic pregnancy pose particularly vexing difficulties. How can one adequately treat the urgent situation at hand within this moral perspective? How can one reconcile this philosophical principle with the medical practices used to treat ectopic pregnancy? The ongoing discussion of ectopic pregnancy begun in the 1880s has not abated. A flurry of articles of late have addressed the issue and several positions have been offered. Recent interest in the topic may be fostered by current circumstances. Ectopic pregnancy is up some 600% in the last two decades (Diamond 1995, 5). In such cases, the embryo implants in the fallopian tube (or even more rarely elsewhere) eventually leading to profuse bleeding and loss of both maternal and embryonic human life. The four options of treatment most often discussed in the literature are non-intervention, salpingectomy (removal of tube with embryo), salpingostomy (removal of embryo alone), and use of methotrexate (MXT) (DeBlois 1996, Curran 1995; Keenan 1993). In this chapter, I will review these four options and also introduce a fifth option, the “milking technique,” into the http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png

The Edge of LifeMoral Absolutism and Ectopic Pregnancy

Part of the Philosophy and Medicine Book Series (volume 85)
Editors: Spicker, Stuart F.; Engelhardt, H. Tristram; Wildes, Kevin Wm.
The Edge of Life — Jan 1, 2005
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Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Copyright
© Springer 2005
ISBN
978-1-4020-3155-7
Pages
97 –103
DOI
10.1007/1-4020-3156-4_6
Publisher site
See Chapter on Publisher Site

Abstract

CHAPTER 6 MORAL ABSOLUTISM AND ECTOPIC PREGNANCY If one accepts an absolute prohibition against the intentional taking of innocent human life from conception, cases of ectopic pregnancy pose particularly vexing difficulties. How can one adequately treat the urgent situation at hand within this moral perspective? How can one reconcile this philosophical principle with the medical practices used to treat ectopic pregnancy? The ongoing discussion of ectopic pregnancy begun in the 1880s has not abated. A flurry of articles of late have addressed the issue and several positions have been offered. Recent interest in the topic may be fostered by current circumstances. Ectopic pregnancy is up some 600% in the last two decades (Diamond 1995, 5). In such cases, the embryo implants in the fallopian tube (or even more rarely elsewhere) eventually leading to profuse bleeding and loss of both maternal and embryonic human life. The four options of treatment most often discussed in the literature are non-intervention, salpingectomy (removal of tube with embryo), salpingostomy (removal of embryo alone), and use of methotrexate (MXT) (DeBlois 1996, Curran 1995; Keenan 1993). In this chapter, I will review these four options and also introduce a fifth option, the “milking technique,” into the

Published: Jan 1, 2005

Keywords: Fallopian Tube; Ectopic Pregnancy; Embryonic Death; Cellular Reproduction; Intentional Killing

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