NICU and views on abortion

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Hi all,

I am considering working in a NICU starting right after graduation, and I was wondering if working with very-early gestation babies [eg. 23-24 weekers] changes your views on abortion. I realize that there are many differing views on it, and I am probably opening up a can of worms, but I was just curious what you all had experienced. Any feedback will be appreciated!

SteveRN21

. Plus it brings up issues with BCP and IUDs, and I think banning those would be bad too, as well as the morning after pill.

I

Not sure what IUDs or BCP have to do w/ ANYTHING, unless you are against any BC at all, which I respect as related to religious teachings, though admittedly am baffled by...besides, condoms, sponges and the w/drawal method prevent pregnancy afterall :) Just curious, I didn't follow the train of thought....

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Specializes in NICU/Neonatal transport.

Because many people who are vehemently against abortion believe that life begins at conception. BCP, the MAP and IUDs (lots of abbr there ;) ) all have the potential to cause a fertilized egg to either not implant or for the lining to be shed after implantation, which, technically speaking, is an abortion.

If you ban abortion entirely because life begins at conception, then you must ban IUDs, BCP and the MAP because they are still ending a "life" that has been conceived. If you don't have conception being the start of life, we're back to the same questions we have now. When does life become LIFE? Plus it would also complicate in vitro because of the conceptions done outside the womb and the extra embryos that are created.

Personally, I believe in a rolling scale of rights for a fetus. At the beginning of the pg or conception, the blast or embryo has no rights. It cannot exist without the uterus it is currently in. The woman likely has no idea she is pg, so I don't think she could be truly faulted for going out and getting drunk if she doesn't know.

Once she knows about the pregnancy, the embryo starts to have rights. But at this point, the woman's rights trump the embryo's rights because again, no hope for survival outside the current womb. The further along in the pregnancy, the closer the fetus gets to viability, the more rights it has and the more likely its rights could trump the rights of the mother. Once viability is reached, the fetus should have the same rights as an infant, IMO, and if the woman truly does not want to be pg, induction is a method to end the pregnancy, without outright killing. There are so many "Ifs ands and buts" about this situation though that I think the best method is to increase community support for pregnant women and also for encouraging adoption, raise education levels of girls so they aren't getting pg when they aren't ready and other social type programs so people don't feel a need for elective abortions. Outside of that, it should be a solemn discussion between a dr. and patient to determine the best course of action for the woman's individual situation.

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

Please remain on topic. The question from the OP is whether working in a NICU has changed your stance on abortion. I don't believe birth control was part of it.

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Specializes in NICU/Neonatal transport.

My point was that many people consider birth control to be abortion - they don't differentiate between a 2 week embryo and a 34 week fetus. Both are wrong in their mind, and both are equally murder. I only referenced the methods of birth control that are considered abortificants.

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My point was that many people consider birth control to be abortion - they don't differentiate between a 2 week embryo and a 34 week fetus. Both are wrong in their mind, and both are equally murder. I only referenced the methods of birth control that are considered abortificants.

Because many people who are vehemently against abortion believe that life begins at conception. BCP, the MAP and IUDs (lots of abbr there ) all have the potential to cause a fertilized egg to either not implant or for the lining to be shed after implantation, which, technically speaking, is an abortion.

Respectfully, I agree to disagree...actually the way IUD's work is not entirely accepted amongst those in the medical field, some believe they render the environment of the uterus inhospitible (sp?) to sperm, therefore the sperm never reach the egg, This is especially true of the newer IUDs which are hormone based. That the IUD somehow causes the uterus to not allow implantation is only a possibility...just something to consider..

I promise I won't post anymore about BC...just wanted to get this last thought across!!!!!

back into lurk mode :)

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