Women in Bioethics

Abstract The rapid development (1) of gene-editing technologies has introduced new possibilities for preventing disease and enhancing human traits. From TALENs to CRISPR-Cas9, scientific abilities have stretched beyond what was once thought possible. Nevertheless, the emergence of these innovations still raises profound ethical concerns about the future of human reproduction and the boundaries of scientific intervention. This paper examines the ethical implications of gene e

In recent decades, menopause has increasingly been framed as a medical condition rather than as a natural life transition. Menopause is a biological transition that marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years, resulting from the natural decline of ovarian function. While medical interventions can provide relief, their widespread use raises concerns about overmedicalization—treating a natural process as a disease in ways that may not always be necessary or beneficial. Overme

Today, we live in a world more populated than ever. The number of people on Earth continues to increase from our current population of 8.2 billion being projected to reach as high as 10 billion by 2060 (United Nations). However, this growth is not evenly distributed, with many lower-income countries likely to experience the biggest population booms of the 21st century. In contrast, industrialized countries’ birth rates are projected to continue to decrease, with many reaching

Introduction: This paper will discuss the ethics surrounding maternal and fetal healthcare for the unhoused population in the United States. It will evaluate the current standard of care and what services are being provided now to determine whether or not that standard has to be improved. The paper will explore the question: What is the most ethical approach to providing adequate maternal and fetal healthcare to homeless women, especially considering the various unique barrie

Introduction Across town at a research hospital, scientists work with stem cell technology to develop treatments for a child suffering from leukemia. Meanwhile, in a high-end spa in Beverly Hills, a 50-year-old woman pays around $5,000 for a stem cell facial treatment that promises to reverse aging effects. This contrast exposes concerns about how society allocates valuable resources. As stem cell technologies transfer from the research hospital to the cosmetic clinic, they e

Introduction: This paper will focus on the ethicality of parenthood for people with cognitive disabilities and whether society has the responsibility to support that right or not. Cognitive disability refers to a broad range of conditions, including intellectual impairments, autism spectrum disorders, and mental illnesses, which affect an individual’s ability to think, learn, remember, and make decisions. However, for the purpose of my research, I will define intellectual dis

Introduction In an age of rapidly evolving reproductive technologies, individuals who cannot carry a pregnancy to term are presented with two primary options: adoption or surrogacy. While both paths offer the opportunity to become a parent, they raise distinct ethical questions. This paper will examine the ethics of agency adoption and traditional/gestational surrogacy, and explore why adoption has historically been seen as the more socially acceptable choice. It will analyz

By 1999, Jack Kevorkian had aided in the deaths of over one hundred and thirty people. Kevorkian, a Michigan medical pathologist and advocate for self-determined death, used a self-made machine he coined the “mercitron” or the “thanatron.” Starting in 1992 with the death of Susan Atkins, a woman with Alzheimer's disease, Kevorkian’s actions attracted major media attention.

Except for occasional exposés and short-lived reform efforts, prison medicine has gone without public scrutiny… Outside of prisons and jails, health care providers and facilities have been inspected, licensed, certified, maintained, and regulated. Within the walls, in sharp contrast, almost anything could go on (Prout et al. 228). Introduction Many incarcerated women in the United States have had pregnancy experiences that could be considered inhumane, from not receiving rec

In order to understand a disease and treatments for it, it is necessary to enroll participants affected by it in research and clinical trials. But what should be done when the target group lacks the decision-making capacity to consent to participation? This paper will attempt to answer this question, discussing the enrollment of patients with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) in research studies and clinical trials for treatments for AD. It will detail approaches to determining decisi

Prostitution, often referred to as the world’s oldest profession, dating back to at least 2400 BCE, yet modern governments remain divided and uncertain on how best to regulate it. This paper explores the ethical implications of regulating prostitution by examining how different legal models balance and uphold the values of safety, autonomy, and responsibility.

In cases where teratogenic medications are necessary for pregnant individuals, whose health matters most: the mother or the fetus? This paper will be looking at the ethical dilemma that arises as a result of this question, examining how pregnant individuals with chronic conditions such as bipolar disorder must weigh the risks of continuing a life-stabilizing medication such as lithium, which is known to have adverse effects on fetal development, against the consequences of di