The Lancet, a British medical journal, has published new information that questions the need to abort a baby to improve the prognosis for a pregnant patient with cancer.
Dr. Julie Griffin of the Christian Medical Association (CMA) tells OneNewsNow about the study, which was led by respected Belgian cancer physician Frederic Amant. Though his research indicates the possibility of saving both the baby and mother, it does not suggest that outcome can be accomplished in all cases.
Griffin, Dr. Julie"But definitely there is reason to believe that a mother and her preborn child can withstand the throes and the treatment of chemotherapeutics, and both can make it through a pregnancy safely, and the child will do quite well," Dr. Griffin says.
The medical evidence in the study encourages working harder to maintain and salvage the child's life and not to make a hasty decision to abort the child.
"I think that it's something that is supported biblically -- that when we look to save both lives that that is something the Lord wants us to do," the CMA spokesperson suggests. "So we as believers need to continue to point in that direction, and even through the medical evidence that is now pointing towards the importance of both lives and the possibility of both lives being saved."
Still, the question arises of when abortion would be necessary. Griffin says that depends on the "covenant relationship" between the doctor and patient, as well the father. She concludes that it needs to be approached on the basis "of hope and the sanctity of life and weighing the very difficult decisions that sometimes have to be made."
Contact: Charlie Butts
Source: OneNewsNow.com
