title: What is obstetric ethics?
abstract: This paper provides an overview of obstetric ethics as an essential clinical tool. First, we define two basic ethical principles, beneficence and respect for autonomy. Second, on this basis, we provide an account of two ethical senses of the concept of the fetus as a patient. On the basis of this clinical concept we identify its clinical implications for directive versus non-directive counseling for fetal benefit. Third, we provide the reader with tools for critically evaluating the literature on obstetric ethics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York Hospital, Cornell Medical Center, N.Y., USA.
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Chervenak
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: McCullough
mesh_terms: D026686:Beneficence; D032921:Consensus; D026689:Ethical Analysis; D028663:Ethical Theory; D026690:Ethics, Clinical; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D006801:Humans; D028681:Moral Obligations; D009774:Obstetrics; D010361:Patients; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People; D026712:Value of Life