Circumstances are such that going ahead with the pregnancy could severely increase the risk of the cancer becoming stage 4 (incurable). This is due to the fact that the cancer is estrogen receptive; therefore the entire systemic effect of the state of pregnancy itself creates the risk. There is no surgery or alternative besides swift termination of the pregnancy to give the mother the best chance of survival. Mother already has two children who need her. Moral dilemma.
From what I can tell, based solely on what has been related here, this would appear to be a direct abortion – which means that it involves directly killing the child in his or her mother’s womb for the purpose of possibly saving the mother’s life. I use the qualifier “possibly” because I very much doubt the doctor is offering any guarantee that this abortion “will” save the mother’s life, only that it “could.” If this is the case, what could end up happening is that the child definitely will die and that the mother may end up dead from cancer anyway.
I dislike phrasing this so harshly, but I think it is important that we strip away the facade that this direct abortion would be “for the greater good” of saving a life. A direct abortion in the situation laid out here definitely kills the child and it may not save the mother.
This said, I strongly urge the mother facing this choice to contact the National Catholic Bioethics Center for assistance in evaluating her options. If the abortion is not a direct abortion – by which I mean an abortion that either has as its goal the death of the child or intends that the death of the child be the means to some other goal – but is instead an indirect abortion in which the death of the child is neither directly caused or intended, then the ethics of the situation change and this mother will need to have her case evaluated by moral theologians and medical bioethicists who are faithful to the doctrine and morals of the Church.
This mother and child are in my prayers and I ask readers to pray too. God bless.
DISCLAIMER: Catholic Answers has turned over the archive to Catholic-Questions.org and no longer owns, manages, or moderates the forums. For additional apologetics resources please visit www.catholic.com.
