With so many life-related initiatives on the ballot across the country, there has been serious talk about the realities of pregnancy, parenthood and policy.
Beyond the chatter, what is a Catholic to do when faced with a serious medical emergency during pregnancy? How should a Catholic doctor or hospital respond?
In a recent interview with The Pillar, Philip Cerroni, an ethicist with the National Catholic Bioethics Center, illuminated just how complex but navigable these emergencies can be.
“He suggested that in such situations, people often have the wrong focus — and that the best focus is on better medical intervention for patients in life-threatening situations,” writes Michelle La Rosa, The Pillar‘s Managing Editor. “In general, Cerroni told The Pillar, when a pregnant woman faces a medical emergency, the initial goal should be to medically manage the emergency condition, while also trying to protect the life and health of the baby.”
With the perspective that there are two lives–not just one–involved in these sorts of emergencies, Cerroni said that medical professionals can better work towards the goal of preserving the lives of both mother and baby.
“I think sometimes with these cases, a false dichotomy is set up: well, it’s either great risk to the mother or terminating the pregnancy,” he told The Pillar.
Cerroni goes on to explain the intricacies of such medical emergencies, Catholic ethical and philosophical principles like the Principle of Double Effect, and how Catholic doctors and hospitals might chart a course forward, in line with Church teaching and medical practices.
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