Iranian Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine

Mendeley  

Zotero  

Rasekh M, Domanloo F, Ansaripour S. Moral Evaluation of Fetal Reduction. IJMEHM 2018; 11 :316-328
URL: http://ijme.tums.ac.ir/article-1-6007-en.html

Science considers using technologies for treatment of infertility as the important cause of multifetal pregnancies. Fetal reduction is a clinical procedure developed for reducing the number of fetuses in multifetal pregnancies in order to avoid their common complications. Three aims may be offered for fetal reduction: (1) pregnancy preservation, and prevention of and decreasing risks of multifetal pregnancy to the mother and the remaining fetuses (high-end multifetal reduction); (2) eliminating fetuses bearing certain kind of illnesses (selective reduction); and (3) just preventing multiple birth where no considerable risk threatens the mother or the fetuses (elective reduction). Moral evaluation on fetal reduction techniques varies depending on which of the mentioned aims is followed. However, in many cases this is “medical necessity” that morally justifies the reduction. Nevertheless, given the difficulty of reaching a decision on this issue, risks involved in fetal reduction procedure, and its psychological implications for the mother and the father, it is seriously recommended to avoid such an action by methods that prevent multifetal pregnancy.