Unintended Intrauterine Death and Preterm Delivery: What Does Philosophy Have to Offer?

Journal of Medicine and Philosophy 48 (3):195-208 (2023)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

This special issue of the Journal of Medicine and Philosophy focuses on unintended intrauterine death (UID) and preterm delivery (both phenomena that are commonly—and unhelpfully—referred to as “miscarriage,” “spontaneous abortion,” and “early pregnancy loss”). In this essay, I do two things. First, I outline contributors’ arguments. Most contributors directly respond to “inconsistency arguments,” which purport to show that abortion opponents are unjustified in their comparative treatment of abortion and UID. Contributors to this issue show that such arguments often rely on a grossly oversimplified picture of abortion opponents’ views. Furthermore, contributions in this issue weigh in on issues regarding UID with theoretical import and therapeutic implication beyond the inconsistency argument debate. These papers can be mined for principles that better inform us about anembryonic pregnancies (i.e., nonviable pregnancies in which a gestational sac exists but no embryonic pole can be seen via transvaginal ultrasound), UID-prevention research, the law concerning UID (especially post-Dobbs), policies for handling embryonic remains, and moral psychology as it relates to UID, emotion, and empathy. In each case, conceptual philosophical analysis might bring about therapeutic benefits for those affected by UID. Philosophers, therefore, are in position not only to provide clarity—careful analysis and discussion of UID and related phenomena—but are also in position to genuinely help people affected by UID.

Other Versions

No versions found

Similar books and articles

Hypocrisy, Consistency, and Opponents of Abortion.Bruce P. Blackshaw, Nicholas Colgrove & Daniel Rodger - 2022 - In Nicholas Colgrove, Bruce P. Blackshaw & Daniel Rodger, Agency, Pregnancy and Persons: Essays in Defense of Human Life. Oxford, UK: Routledge. pp. 127-144.
Hypocrisy, Consistency, and Opponents of Abortion.Bruce P. Blackshaw, Nicholas Colgrove & Daniel Rodger - 2022 - In Nicholas Colgrove, Bruce P. Blackshaw & Daniel Rodger, Agency, Pregnancy and Persons: Essays in Defense of Human Life. Oxford, UK: Routledge. pp. 127-144.
Abortion and miscarriage.Amy Berg - 2017 - Philosophical Studies 174 (5):1217-1226.
Embryo Loss and Moral Status.James Delaney - 2023 - Journal of Medicine and Philosophy 48 (3):252-264.

Analytics

Added to PP
2023-03-22

Downloads
366 (#86,278)

6 months
152 (#37,360)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Nicholas Colgrove
Augusta University

Citations of this work

Defining ‘Abortion’: A Call for Clarity.Nicholas Colgrove - 2025 - Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics (2):137-175.
Zygotes are Persisting Organisms.Nicholas Colgrove - forthcoming - Journal of Medicine and Philosophy.

Add more citations

References found in this work

A defense of abortion.Judith Jarvis Thomson - 1971 - Philosophy and Public Affairs 1 (1):47-66.
Emotions: An Essay in Aid of Moral Psychology.Robert Campbell Roberts - 2003 - New York: Cambridge University Press.
Emotions in the Moral Life.Robert Campbell Roberts - 2013 - New York: Cambridge University Press.
A Defense of Abortion.David Boonin - 2002 - Cambridge University Press.

View all 50 references / Add more references