ssmuБюллетень сибирской медициныBulletin of Siberian Medicine1682-03631819-3684Siberian State Medical University, the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation10.20538/1682-0363-2013-3-121-126ssmu-366Research ArticleГУМАНИТАРНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ БИОЛОГИИ И МЕДИЦИНЫHUMANITARIAN PROBLEMS OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINEETHICAL DIMENSIONS OF THE FETUS AS A PATIENTETHICAL DIMENSIONS OF THE FETUS AS A PATIENTChervenakF. A.ChervenakF. A.fac2001@med.cornell.eduMcCulloughL. B.McCulloughL. B.fac2001@med.cornell.eduDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New YorkUnited StatesCenter for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Baylor College of Medicine, HoustonUnited States201328062013123121126Copyright © Chervenak F.A., McCullough L.B., 20132013Chervenak F.A., McCullough L.B.Chervenak F.A., McCullough L.B.Данная работа распространяется под лицензией Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.https://bulletin.ssmu.ru/jour/article/view/366

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Objective: To describe the ethical concept of the fetus as a patient and identify its implications for the deliberative practice of perinatal medicine.Methods: We describe secular medical ethics and its two fundamental principles, beneficence and respect for autonomy. We articulate the ethical concept of the fetus as a patient on the basis of the ethical principle of beneficence.Results: In the deliberative practice of perinatal medicine guided by the ethical concept of the fetus as a patient, the perinatologist should always identify and balance beneficence-based obligations to the fetal patient and beneficence-based and autonomy-based obligations to the pregnant patient. Directive counseling is appropriate when the fetus is a patient. Non-directive counseling is appropriate when the fetus is not a patient.Conclusion: Counseling pregnant women about the clinical management of their pregnancies should always identify and balance beneficence-based obligations to the fetal patient and beneficence-based and autonomy-based obligations to the pregnant patient.

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest present.