title: Maternal-fetal health: ethical issues.
abstract: Modern medical technology has given us the ability to directly observe the fetus and its state of health. This ability has allowed the fetus to be newly individuated and has supported what often are called conflicts between the fetus and the pregnant woman. This article examines the nature of some of these conflicts and offers support for ethical theories and principles that assume that the pregnant woman is the appropriate decision maker for treatment involving her body and that if she is given support and comprehensible information, her decisions will be in the best interests of her family.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donohue
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section; D002651:Child Advocacy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003657:Decision Making; D004995:Ethics, Professional; D005260:Female; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007229:Infant Welfare; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D016742:Preconception Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis