Multiple Pregnancy, Selective Reduction, and Flexible Treatment

Craft, Ian; Brinsden, Peter; Lewis, Paul; Ah-Moye, Michael; Fiamanya, William; Robertson, D.E.; Serhal, Paul; Al-Shawaf, Talha; Shrivastav, Pankaj

doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(88)90114-6

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…There are many reports that describe selective reduction of high multiple pregnancies through feticide, resulting in more manageable twin or triplet pregnancies (3,4,(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28). The justification for selective feticide in such situations is one of salvage: without it, it is argued, the quadruplet, quintuplet or higher-multiple pregnancies would probably lead to the death from immaturity of all the fetuses.…”

Section: Selective Feticide As An Alternative To Natural Fetal Deathmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unfinished feticide.

Jansen

1990

J Med Ethics

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A fetus may survive an intentional interference with its intrauterine environment (1) if gestational age is mistaken and the procedure of induced abortion does not kill the fetus, (2) if a change of heart takes place after abortifacient drugs are taken and the abortion does not proceed, and (3) if a high-multiple pregnancy is reduced to a singleton or a twin pregnancy to improve the likelihood that the remaining fetuses will reach viability. In each case, through cause or coincidence, an abnormal baby may be born. The well-intentioned physician, responding to a patient's medical or psychological needs, risks a legal action in negligence or assault brought by a deformed surviving child. This hazard means that medical termination of pregnancy and selective pregnancy reduction put the practising physician at substantial risk in a way not usually associated with induced abortion.

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