The Moral Issue of Abortion
Thomas Aquinas asserted that the
Abortion – the expulsion of a living fetus from the
mother’s womb before it is viable
- termination of pregnancy, spontaneously
or by induction prior to viability
5 TYPES OF ABORTION
1. Natural Abortion – expulsion of the fetus
through natural or accidental causes. Also
called spontaneous or accidental abortion.
- miscarriage
2. Direct or Intentional Abortion –
deliberately induced expulsion of a living
fetus before it has become viable.
3. Therapeutic Abortion – deliberately
induced expulsion of a living fetus in order
to save the mother from danger of death
brought on by pregnancy.
4. Eugenic Abortion – recommended in cases
where certain defects are discovered in the
developing fetus
5. Indirect Abortion – the removal of fetus
occurs as a secondary effect of a legitimate
or licit action which is the direct and
primary object of the intention.
THE MORAL ISSUE
If the phenomenon of ensoulment occurs
from the moment of conception, then the newly
fertilized ovum or conception is already a person;
hence to expel or abort it is to commit murder but if
the ensoulment phenomenon occurs not from
conception but at a certain stage of fetal
development, then eugenic abortion as well as
abortion before implantation may be morally licit.
Immediate Hominization
- contends that a new human person exists
immediately upon conception
- upheld by Plato & St. Gregory of Nyssa
- they influenced the teachings of the magisterium
of the Catholic Church
Delayed Animation
- upholds that ensoulment occurs at a later time but
not from the moment of conception
- upheld by Aristotle who believed that ensoulment
occurs about the
= 40th day for males
= 80th day for females
- St. Anselm & St. Augustine provided a classic
precedent for the distinction between a
1. Fetus animatus (animate fetus)
2. Fetus inanimatus (inanimate fetus)
or
1. Embryo informatus (non-informed fetus)
2. Embryo formatus (informed fetus)
St.
rational soul is not infused until sometime later.
He argued that “the intellectual principle is
immaterial hence it cannot be produced by the
semen which is material.” The intellectual soul is
directly created by God and not from conception
but subsequently thereafter.
Various Types of interpretation of delayed
animation:
1. Implantation – ensoulment occurs at
implantation
- any interference or prevention of
implantation such as IUD or morning after
pill is morally permissible in case of
conception caused by rape or incest.
2. Unity and Uniqueness – ensoulment occurs
when the unity and uniqueness of the fetus
are definitely established. This happens two
and four weeks after conception.
3. “Looks” human – ensoulment occurs when
the fetus already looks human. According to
this view, ensoulment takes place during
the 5th & 6th week of fetal development,
when the fetus already looks human.
4. Electrical Activity – ensoulment occurs
when electrical impulses are first detectible
from the brain, around the 8th week of
pregnancy
5. Quickening – ensoulment takes place when
the mother can feel the spontaneous
movements of the fetus during the 10 th to
12th week of pregnancy
6. Viability – ensoulment occurs at viability –
that is, when the fetus is considered viable
during the 28th week or 7th month of
pregnancy
7. Birth – ensoulment occurs at birth when the
child has become biologically independent
of his mother.
Curettage – It is very crucial in cases of rape or
incest victims to consider that within the 8 th day
period following the sexual assault the linings of the
uterus can be scraped or rasped off by curettage,
implantation can be prevented and pregnancy will
not continue.
The General viewpoint of Abortion
1. Conservative View – declares that abortion
is never permissible, or at most, is
permissible if and only if it is required to
save the pregnant woman’s life
2. Liberal position – abortion is always
permissible whatever the state of fetal
development may be. Advocated by
adherents of women’s rights, this stand
stresses the rights of a woman to make
decisions which affect her own body
 3. Moderate Position – holds that abortion is
morally permissible up to a certain stage of
fetal development, or for some limited sets
of reasons sufficient to justify the taking up
life in this or that special circumstances.

Pro-life Movement

Pro-life position is the disapproving view of

abortion. It expresses and supports the teachings of
the Vatical II Pastoral Constitution of the Church in
the Modern World. From the moment of
conception, life must be regarded with greatest
care.
Man is the only creature on earth that God
has “wished for himself” and the spiritual soul of
each man is “immediately created” by God; his
whole being bears the image of the Creator.

Effects of Abortion

There are physical and psychological effects of

abortion on the woman concerned.

a. Physical Effects includes:

- Habitual miscarriage
- ectopic pregnancies
- menstrual disturbances or discomfort
- stillbirths, frigidity,
- bleeding, coma, fever, cold sweat
- shock, intense pain, insomnia
- loss of other organs, weight loss
b. Psychological Effects:
- guilt, suicidal tendency,
- loss of sense of fulfillment,
- mourning, loss of confidence,
- low self-esteem, hectivity
- self destructive behavior
- anger, rage, helplessness,
- loss of interest in sex,
- inability to forgive oneself,
- nightmare and frustration
- thwarted maternal instinct
- intense interest in babies

Pro-choice Movement
- The approving view of abortion justification for the
expulsion of the fetus may be classified into:
1. Personal
2. Social
3. fetal