Citation

Ali N, Coonrod DV, McCormick TR. Crit. Care Clin. 2016; 32(1): 137-143.

Affiliation

Department Bioethics and Humanities, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7120, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ccc.2015.08.007

PMID

26600450

Abstract

Ethical issues that arise in the care of pregnant women are challenging to physicians, especially in critical care situations. By familiarizing themselves with the concepts of medical ethics in obstetrics, physicians will become more capable of approaching complex ethical situations with a clear and structured framework. This review discusses ethical approaches regarding 3 specific scenarios: (1) the life of the fetus versus the life of the mother and situations of questionable maternal decision making; (2) withdrawal of care in a brain-dead pregnant patient; and (3) domestic violence and the pregnant patient.

Language: en