Question

Answer the following in atleast 250 words:

1.) Is a life with defects better than no life at all? Support your position.

2.) Do you think there is an ethical difference between aborting a baby due to a genetic testing and giving birth to the baby and not performing surgery (leaving baby to die without interference)? Support your position.

3.) Who should make decisions for impaired newborns? The doctors? The parents? The Courts? Support your decisions.

Answer 1

1. A life with defects may become cumbersome not only for the person who is born with such defects but also for the people around him/her. The person might become a liability for others. It is also demeaning for a person to be physically dependent on others. But, ofcourse, it also depends on the degree of the life defect. If the defects are crippling, then it is better not to have a life at all. It is in the best interest of all.

2. Both the issues have been debated globally but no conclusion has been drawn. If the baby has to die in any case, it is better to abort the fetus than to let the child be born and then go through all the torture that the defect may cause to the baby before death finally arrives. If the defective fetus is aborted in the mother's womb, in all probability, it does not feel anything. Also, it will be extremely difficult for parents to see their baby suffer and then die. It will be better to not bring such a baby into the world.

3. The doctors should assess the situation after medical examinations and then present the scenario before the parents. They can tell the parents what kind of life their child might have to face with the disability it has been born with. Their view will be unbiased and without any emotions involved.

The most difficult position will be that of the parents. They have to realize that their child could be a liability for them and might have to face unimaginable problems once they are around to care. Finally, they will have to take the court's permission before deciding to end the impaired newborn's life. Every country has different rules for such situations. The decision taken by the people concerned and the court should be based on only one consideration and that is- what is best for the impaired newborn in the long run of life.