Reproductive Ethics, Parental Decision-Making, and Child Protection: Parent-Child Conflict Regarding Abortion in a Case of Sexual Abuse
Friday, October 13, 2023
9:30 AM – 10:45 AM ET
Location: Essex C (Fourth Floor)
This talk will review an ethics consultation centered around a pregnant minor and subsequent conflict between the parent and the child over pursuing an abortion. A patient well-known to the hospital’s child protection team (an 11 year old girl with history of suspected trafficking, frequent running away, and concerns for medical and educational neglect) was taken into CPS custody and found to be 10 weeks pregnant. While now in CPS custody, her biological parents retained medical-decision making and advocated for termination of the pregnancy. However, the patient initially indicated that she wanted to carry the pregnancy to term and that she felt an abortion would be akin to “killing the baby.” Questions that arose included to what extent providers would provide the requisite medical services against the patient's wishes, as well as her ability to make this decision. An interdisciplinary approach was taken by the ethics team along with pediatric gynecology, family planning, and the child abuse pediatrics team. This talk will explore the ethical issues that arose in this case which can be considered from multiple lens to include reproductive ethics, pediatric ethics (specifically with parental rights and decision-making) and child protection.