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emilyt67
Guest
Is abortion allowed in the catholic church if the mother would likely otherwise die?
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Seatuck
Guest
As far as I know there is no medical situation where a direct abortion is necessary. Treatments may be performed that might result in the death of a fetus though.
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TomD123
Guest
The direct killing of the innocent is never permitted no matter what good can come of it. However there is something called the double effect. What it basically means for this situation is that you could not kill the baby but if the only way to save the mother was to do something that would kill the baby (*But the baby’s death is not what saves the mother and you will still try to save the baby even if it is unlikely) then it would be permissible. An example of this would be removing the uterus due to a large tumor or something early on in the pregnancy, this would kill the baby for sure. However, you were not intending to kill the baby but it was a result of removing a part of the woman’s body which saved her life.
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Della
Guest
Yes, for instance, if the uterus is cancerous but the woman is pregnant and it must be removed before the fetus would be viable outside the womb, it may be removed because the direct intention is not to perform an abortion. The same holds true for ectopic pregnancies and other similar conditions.
As always, any family that is having such difficulties ought to talk to their parish priest about their particular situation.
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OregonDad
Guest
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WatchingMedia
Guest
Go to:
usccb.org/
click on:
“The Distinction between Direct Abortion and Legitimate Medical Procedures”
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Cominghome89
Guest
True to a degree, but be careful when you speak of the double effect. A procedure that would kill the unborn child can ONLY be admissible if not doing the procedure would kill the mother AND THE BABY. For example, When you have an ectopic pregnancy (egg attaches to the wall of the Fallopian tube) it can be removed, because carrying out the pregnancy would be impossible, both the baby and mother would die.
If a woman is in danger but the baby can safely be brought to term, even the unintended killing of the baby is not permitted.
In Christ and Our Immaculate Mother,
Frank
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emilyt67
Guest
How is mothers life less important then baby’s
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Edward_H
Guest
Where did the word “important” enter the issue? And what does it mean? I don’t accept the argument framed around this word without definition.
Both baby and mother have infinite supernatural value to God and to this world. Both are capable of near infinite love.
Both baby and mother have infinite supernatural value to God and to this world. Both are capable of near infinite love.
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st_lucy
Guest
No one has said this. What the Church says is that both lives are equal. You can not kill one person to save another.
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emilyt67
Guest
ok thax
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Rence
Guest
In the case of uterine cancer, you are not required to wait until viability if the doctor recommends you have a hysterectomy or begin chemo asap and recommends you should not wait. Note – many women do wait for the age of viability (which is 20 weeks), but they are not required to do so. This is because the cancer is being treated, and is the primary intention.
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