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Prenatal Management of Anencephaly
Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press
  • Rebecca J Cook, University of Toronto, Faculty of Law
  • Joanna Erdman, Dalhousie University Schulich School of Law
  • Martin Hevia
  • Bernard M Dickens, University of Toronto, Faculty of Law
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2008
Keywords
  • Abortion,
  • Anencephaly,
  • Induced Birth,
  • Late-Term Abortion,
  • Lawful Abortion,
  • Maternal Health,
  • Termination of Pregnancy,
  • Criminal Liability,
  • Ethical Concerns
Abstract

About a third of anencephalic fetuses are born alive, but they are not conscious or viable, and soon die. This neural tube defect can be limited by dietary consumption of foliates, and detected prenatally by ultrasound and other means. Many laws permit abortion, on this indication or on the effects of pregnancy and prospects of delivery on a woman's physical or mental health. However, abortion is limited under some legal systems, particularly in South America. To avoid criminal liability, physicians will not terminate pregnancies, by induced birth or abortion, without prior judicial approval. Argentinian courts have developed means to resolve these cases, but responses of Brazilian courts are less clear. Ethical concerns relate to late-term abortion, meaning after the point of fetal viability, but since anencephalic fetuses are nonviable, many ethical concerns are overcome. Professional guidance is provided by several professional and institutional codes on management of anencephalic pregnancies.

Comments

U Toronto, Legal Studies Research Paper No 08-18. International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics published by Wiley.

Creative Commons License
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International
Citation Information
Rebecca J Cook, Joanna N Erdman, Martin Hevia, & Bernard Dickens, "Prenatal Management of Anencephaly" (2008) 102 Intl J Gynecology & Obstetrics 304.