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Previous Volume 310:501-504 February 23, 1984 Number 8 Next

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Abstract

The question whether to terminate pregnancy during the third trimester involves a moral conflict. We argue that such termination is morally justifiable if two conditions are fulfilled: first, that the fetus is afflicted with a condition that is either incompatible with postnatal survival for more than a few weeks or characterized by the total or virtual absence of cognitive function; and second, that highly reliable diagnostic procedures are available for determining prenatally that the fetus fulfills either of the two parts of the first condition. At present, one entity, anencephaly, clearly fulfills both conditions. We studied 10 cases involving fetuses with sonographically diagnosed anencephaly that were aborted during the third trimester. We also examined other fetal disorders and conclude that they do not clearly fulfill our two conditions for the justifiable termination of pregnancy in the third trimester.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Grimes, D. A. (1998). The Continuing Need for Late Abortions. JAMA 280: 747-750 [Full Text]  
• Chervenak, F. A., McCullough, L. B. (1989). Nonaggressive Obstetric Management: An Option for Some Fetal Anomalies During the Third Trimester. JAMA 261: 3439-3440 [Abstract]  
• Shewmon, D. A., Capron, A. M., Peacock, W. J., Schulman, B. L. (1989). The Use of Anencephalic Infants as Organ Sources: A Critique. JAMA 261: 1773-1781 [Abstract]  
• Arras, J. D., Shinnar, S. (1988). Anencephalic Newborns as Organ Donors: A Critique. JAMA 259: 2284-2285 [Abstract]