title: Quality of life and elective C-sections: defining limits to maternal and family interests.
abstract: The author analyzes the lessons for ethics consultants presented by McCrary and colleagues in their case, "Elective Delivery Before 39 Weeks' Gestation: Reconciling Maternal, Fetal, and Family Interests in Challenging Circumstances." Clinical ethics cases that involve different specialists representing the best interests of different parties in a case, such as this case involving neonatologists and perinatologists, are complex and time-consuming. The author concludes that ethics must insure the interests of the fetus and future person are not subsumed to the interests of those with a voice, without deliberate reflection and strong ethical justification.
authors.affiliation: McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics, University of Texas-Houston, USA. Jeffrey.P.Spike@uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Jeffrey P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Spike
mesh_terms: D002585:Cesarean Section; D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics*; D033061:Ethics Consultation; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007234:Infant, Premature; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations / Q000941:ethics*; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth