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HEC Forum (2013) 25:127143
DOI 10.1007/s10730-013-9211-7
Gerald D. Coleman S. S.
Published online: 29 March 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
Abstract In Roman Catholic Moral Theology, a direct abortion is never permitted. An indirect abortion, in which a life threatening pathology is treated, and the treatment inadvertently leads to the death of the fetus, may be permissible in proportionately grave situations. In situations in which a mothers life is endangered by the pregnancy before the fetus is viable, there is some debate about whether the termination of the pregnancy is a direct or indirect abortion. In this essay a recent case from a Roman Catholic sponsored hospital in Phoenix is reviewed along with the justications for and arguments against viewing the pregnancy termination as an indirect abortion. After review of several arguments on both sides of the debate, it is concluded that termination of the pregnancy itself as the means of saving the mother cannot be considered an indirect abortion and that the principle of double effect does not justify the termination. In addition, the importance of a breakdown in communication between the local bishop and the administration of the hospital is shown to have contributed to the ultimate loss of Catholic sponsorship of the hospital.
Keywords Direct abortion Indirect abortion Ethical and Religious Directives
for Catholic Health Care Services Roman Catholic hospital sponsorship
Principle of double effect
G. D. Coleman S. S. (&)
Daughters of Charity Health System of the West, Los Altos Hills, CA, USA e-mail: [email protected]
G. D. Coleman S. S.
Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
Direct and Indirect Abortion in the Roman Catholic Tradition: A Review of the Phoenix Case
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128 HEC Forum (2013) 25:127143
Presentation of the Case
In May and June 2010, Catholic Healthcare West (CHW),1 the parent company of St. Josephs Hospital and Medical Center (SJHMC) in Phoenix, published statements about the November 2009 termination of pregnancy at the medical center.2 The following history summarizes these statements.
A 27-year-old woman with a history of moderate but well-controlled pulmonary hypertension was seen on October 1, 2009 at her pulmonologists ofce for worsening symptoms of her disease. The results of a routine pregnancy test revealed that in spite of her great efforts to avoid it,...