Ethics and reproductive health: a principled approach

Universal ethical principles can be used to analyse problems in reproductive health. The principle of beneficence obligates people to strive to bring about more beneficial consequences than harmful ones. The principle known as respect for persons presumes that all human beings have dignity and are worthy of respect. Showing equal respect for women as persons means recognizing their autonomy and treating them as capable decision-makers and full participants in medical decisions. A third leading concern of bioethics is justice, which requires a fair distribution of family planning methods, including access to safe abortion in cases of contraceptive failure.