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Ethical dilemmas

news story about aborted foetuses being incinerated

5 replies

stuckindamiddle · 25/03/2014 09:51

Has anyone else seen this? Gov minister has ticked off some hospitals for incinerating aborted foetuses. Gov says they should be cremated or buried instead and parents given the option and choice.

But what's the difference between cremation and incineration?

And, (please don't flame me, genuine question!) do parents having abortions, especially if pregnancy is unwanted rather than abortion being medically necessary, generally really care much what happens to the foetus?

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yegodsandlittlefishes · 25/03/2014 10:02

There is something unnerving about it, I agree. The state telling parents that this must be something they have to consider now. I can see it being mishandled and could cause added distress for some people.

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TheAwfulDaughter · 25/03/2014 10:09

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slug · 25/03/2014 11:04

A miscarriage is referred to in medical terminology as a 'spontaneous abortion' In this case it's entirely within reason to see the parent's opinions as to what should be done to dispose of the body.

I wonder if this is yet another case of a journalist not really understanding the scientific terminology.

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DenzelWashington · 17/04/2014 14:41

Incineration takes place along with general waste, so no special procedures, it is just waste disposal.

Cremation is in a dedicated place, I imagine each foetus dealt with seperately and the ashes are then specially disposed of afterwards. So i suppose a certian care and ritual surrounds it.

I can see that it is a difficult issue, because some people will not want to address what should happen to the foetal remains at all, others may care very much.

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youmakemydreams · 17/04/2014 14:57

My friend had an early termination two years ago for various reasons and was informed by the hospital that they had just begun this practice or she could arrange her own funeral instead.
Tbh it was horrendous. She is a mother she knows what a pregnancy turns into so was not in any way in denial but she was pretty floored to be asked this especially so very early on. It really played on her mind for a while afterward and loaded a lot of guilt because she didn't want to arrange her own funeral and left it to them.

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