Moral Issues on Moral Issues on Birth Birth DeformitiesDeformities

Mark Joseph M. AbacaMark Joseph M. Abaca

Meaning and common Meaning and common causes of birth causes of birth deformities deformities Birth deformities: are defects, malformations, or abnormalities of a child which are present at birth.

Types of deformitiesTypes of deformities

Genetic deformities (hereditary)

Congenital deformities (non hereditary)

Trisomy 21Trisomy 21aka Down’s Syndrome

The child affected with Down’s syndrome is born mentally retarded and with various physical deformities

a. A broad skull (big-headed newborn)

b. A large tonguec. An upward slant of the eyelids

Spina bifidaSpina bifidaThe newborn with this type of deformity has the following features:

a. An opening in the spine b. A bulging sac resulting from the

protrusion of the membrane covering of the spinal cor

c. Spinal fluid and nerve tissue contained in the swelling protuberanced. Paralysis below the waist e. No control of bladder and bowel

movements

HydrocephalyHydrocephaly

“water in the head”

It is a defective condition characterized by the accumulation of fluid within the ventricles or between the membranes of the brain.

AnencephalyAnencephaly

“without brain”

some bones of the skull are not completely formed, thus leaving an opening through which the brain material swells out forming a sac or bag

Esophageal atresia Esophageal atresia

This deformity refers to the closing of the esophagus.

The defective baby will simply throw up everything that it takes it.

Duodenal atresiaDuodenal atresia

In this condition, the duodenum—the upper part of the small intestines—is closed off; hence, food cannot pass through and be digested.

RetrospectRetrospect

Should a malformed child be given only ordinary care, or should extraordinary medical treatment be given to save its life?

Should it be given no medical attention at all, and be simply allowed to to die?

Should it be killed in a merciful way?

Informed Consent

This pertains not only to the medical information and understanding about the extent of a particular birth defect, but also to the moral issue involved and the high cost of expenses incurred, should the final decision involve surgery or caring for a deformed baby for the rest of its life.

Application of Ethical Application of Ethical TheoriesTheories

•Roman Catholic View

•Kantian Principle

•Ross’s Ethical Principle

•Moral Logic of Joseph Fletcher

•Utilitarianism

•Pragmatism

Roman Catholic StandEven the most terribly malformed

baby is a human person.This does not necessarily mean

that extraordinary medical measures should be used to save the defective baby’s life.

Ordinary care would suffice.Its is immoral to deliberately kill

the malformed baby or to cause the death by act of omission.

Kantian PrincipleMalformed baby is a person, then

it possesses an inherent dignity and worth.

But aside from being defective, it lacks the capacity to reason and to express its will which, for Kant, are the bases of human dignity.

Ross’s Ethical Principle

The duty to have a deformed baby be operated on, the cost of which

is tremendous and burdensome

to the family

The duty to let the malformed child die in a painless and quiet way

Joseph FletcherDoes not only favor the expulsion of

terribly malformed fetus and the decision to terminate a “subhuman life in extremis” in old age, but also endorses the merciful and painless killing of horribly deformed babies and of terminal ill patients.

Allowing a malformed baby to die by withholding support while advocating the termination of the same kind of deformity in utero is not only inconsistent and illogical but hypocritical a well.

When a newborn is seriously incapacitated, the human harm prevented and suffering relieved by putting an end to its life justifies any painless act of omission.

Utilitarianism

“the greatest happiness for the greatest member”

Advocates on easy and painless death for terribly malformed babies

PragmatismA practical, matter-of-fact way of

approaching or assessing situations or of solving problems.

Usefulness, practicality, workability and beneficiality

Whenever the child’s deformities are so serious and severe that all medical measures are unnecessary and usefulness, except to prolong, if not excerbate, the malformed baby’s suffering and misery, the most realistic and practical decision to be made is to put its life to a speedy and painless end.