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The Moral Landscape of Prenatal Diagnosis

Tunlid, Anna LU (2024) In Clio Medica Online 107. p.376-399
Abstract
This chapter deals with the Swedish regulation of prenatal diagnosis and the various arguments posed for or against such regulation, including whether there should be any changes in the legislation of late-term abortions. Using the metaphor ‘moral landscape,’ it explores how actors such as physicians, disability organizations, and women’s organizations negotiated their position on an issue that was shaped by novel medical technologies, reproductive rights, the status and rights that were ascribed to the fetus, and societal attitudes toward people with disabilities. The chapter demonstrates how the various paths through the moral landscape were guided not only by bioethical principles but also by efforts to negotiate and reconcile sometimes... (More)
This chapter deals with the Swedish regulation of prenatal diagnosis and the various arguments posed for or against such regulation, including whether there should be any changes in the legislation of late-term abortions. Using the metaphor ‘moral landscape,’ it explores how actors such as physicians, disability organizations, and women’s organizations negotiated their position on an issue that was shaped by novel medical technologies, reproductive rights, the status and rights that were ascribed to the fetus, and societal attitudes toward people with disabilities. The chapter demonstrates how the various paths through the moral landscape were guided not only by bioethical principles but also by efforts to negotiate and reconcile sometimes conflicting values and practices of prenatal diagnosis. However, in the end official Swedish regulations defended women’s reproductive rights while fetal rights, based on the idea that life was inviolable from conception, constituted only a narrow path in the landscape. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
This chapter deals with the Swedish regulation of prenatal diagnosis and the various arguments posed for or against such regulation, including whether there should be any changes in the legislation of late-term abortions. Using the metaphor ‘moral landscape,’ it explores how actors such as physicians, disability organizations, and women’s organizations negotiated their position on an issue that was shaped by novel medical technologies, reproductive rights, the status and rights that were ascribed to the fetus, and societal attitudes toward people with disabilities. The chapter demonstrates how the various paths through the moral landscape were guided not only by bioethical principles but also by efforts to negotiate and reconcile sometimes... (More)
This chapter deals with the Swedish regulation of prenatal diagnosis and the various arguments posed for or against such regulation, including whether there should be any changes in the legislation of late-term abortions. Using the metaphor ‘moral landscape,’ it explores how actors such as physicians, disability organizations, and women’s organizations negotiated their position on an issue that was shaped by novel medical technologies, reproductive rights, the status and rights that were ascribed to the fetus, and societal attitudes toward people with disabilities. The chapter demonstrates how the various paths through the moral landscape were guided not only by bioethical principles but also by efforts to negotiate and reconcile sometimes conflicting values and practices of prenatal diagnosis. However, in the end official Swedish regulations defended women’s reproductive rights while fetal rights, based on the idea that life was inviolable from conception, constituted only a narrow path in the landscape. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Histories of Fetal Knowledge Production in Sweden : Medicine, Politics, and Public Controversy, 1530–2020 - Medicine, Politics, and Public Controversy, 1530–2020
series title
Clio Medica Online
editor
Jülich, Solveig
volume
107
pages
24 pages
publisher
Brill
external identifiers
  • scopus:85206335109
ISBN
978-90-04-70375-9
978-90-04-53673-9
DOI
10.1163/9789004703759_016
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
52a2072d-ab65-4408-94c5-acabb0416e2c
date added to LUP
2024-10-25 11:05:54
date last changed
2025-08-03 00:02:12
@inbook{52a2072d-ab65-4408-94c5-acabb0416e2c,
  abstract     = {{This chapter deals with the Swedish regulation of prenatal diagnosis and the various arguments posed for or against such regulation, including whether there should be any changes in the legislation of late-term abortions. Using the metaphor ‘moral landscape,’ it explores how actors such as physicians, disability organizations, and women’s organizations negotiated their position on an issue that was shaped by novel medical technologies, reproductive rights, the status and rights that were ascribed to the fetus, and societal attitudes toward people with disabilities. The chapter demonstrates how the various paths through the moral landscape were guided not only by bioethical principles but also by efforts to negotiate and reconcile sometimes conflicting values and practices of prenatal diagnosis. However, in the end official Swedish regulations defended women’s reproductive rights while fetal rights, based on the idea that life was inviolable from conception, constituted only a narrow path in the landscape.}},
  author       = {{Tunlid, Anna}},
  booktitle    = {{Histories of Fetal Knowledge Production in Sweden : Medicine, Politics, and Public Controversy, 1530–2020}},
  editor       = {{Jülich, Solveig}},
  isbn         = {{978-90-04-70375-9}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{376--399}},
  publisher    = {{Brill}},
  series       = {{Clio Medica Online}},
  title        = {{The Moral Landscape of Prenatal Diagnosis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/9789004703759_016}},
  doi          = {{10.1163/9789004703759_016}},
  volume       = {{107}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}