How do you make this decision?

[strive4holiness]

I recently read about a woman in Nicaragua who has cancer, but is also weeks pregnant. She was refused medical aid for cancer, because of outlaws on abortion. But regardless of the outcome of this situation, where does the Catholic church stand if a woman’s life is in danger through a disease and the treatment could actually hurt the baby?

It’s a really tough decision to make when both lives are in danger.

 

[JRKH]

It is indeed a great trial to be in such a situation. Not being familiar with the laws of a particular country, or ith the particulars of the medical case, I cannot comment in too great a detail.

First of all, much prayer is needed as well as the councel of medical and spiritual people you trust. Only once a person has sufficient information to “properly form the conscience” can a decision be made. This is crucial - especially in such a difficult situation.

In general I would say that every effort should be made to save both the mother and the baby. By that I mean all medical options need to be explored and the one chosen that has the least chance of hurting or killing the child while at least preserving the life of the mother. If the child dies in spite of the efforts to save it, then it is not an abortion and no sin is committed.
Likewise if the treatment chosen by the family saves the child but is only able to keep the mother alive long enough to deliver no sin is incurred because the death of the mother or child is not the intent.

As I said earlier these are difficult choices that must be discussed carefully with the family, the doctors, and the family’s spiritual director. Let us pray that we never fins ourselves in such a situation.

Peace
James

 

[Newbie2]

Good post, JR.

I’d add that in situations such as these, the decision of a properly formed conscience is never wrong. Yes, that’s a very general statement, but each and every situation such as the OP describes is different and we have no formula to go by; General principles, yes, specifics, no.

Since rarely there are absolutes, i.e. the baby will certainly die or will have birth defects if we use drugs X and Y, the decisions are often more difficult than if we could be certain of the outcome.

Of course, there are some certain outcomes, as in a situation where abortion is considered to save the life of the mom. The certainty there is that the baby will die.

 

[JRKH]

Good post, JR.

I’d add that in situations such as these, the decision of a properly formed conscience is never wrong. Yes, that’s a very general statement, but each and every situation such as the OP describes is different and we have no formula to go by; General principles, yes, specifics, no.

Since rarely there are absolutes, i.e. the baby will certainly die or will have birth defects if we use drugs X and Y, the decisions are often more difficult than if we could be certain of the outcome.

Of course, there are some certain outcomes, as in a situation where abortion is considered to save the life of the mom. The certainty there is that the baby will die.

Even in the situation of an “abortion” to save the mother, depending on specific circumstances of course, efforts can be made to save the child.
After all the advances in Neo-Natal care have come from just such efforts. That is saving the life of pre-mature children who would have surely died just a few years before.

The most importnat thing is to make an informed decision after much prayer and reflection.

Peace
James

 

[puzzleannie]

I recently read about a woman in Nicaragua who has cancer, but is also weeks pregnant. She was refused medical aid for cancer, because of outlaws on abortion. But regardless of the outcome of this situation, where does the Catholic church stand if a woman’s life is in danger through a disease and the treatment could actually hurt the baby?

It’s a really tough decision to make when both lives are in danger.

I read a similar article and drew a different conclusion about the application of the law in that case. The Catholic position is that if a pregnant woman has a disease it is permissible to treat the disease even if the treatment may have a harmful result for the fetus, although the doctor in any case will realize he has two patients and act accordingly. This is the principle of the double effect. What may not happen is a direct abortion. There have been women who heroically refused such treatment to save the life of their child, and that also is a moral option, St. Gianna for one.