While attempting to find her struggling patient a steady job, Carol discovers that this woman, named Meg, has not received any form of prenatal care and, more disturbing yet, the patient is using both cigarettes and opioids. An attempt to analyze the complexities of this moral quandary must begin with an examination of the unique relationship between the gestating woman and the fetus.
Pregnancy is a state unlike any other confronted by medicine.
The pregnant woman houses the fetus for nine months and in this interim, the fetus is actually part of the womans body. Indeed, pregnancy has the potential to jeopardize a womans autonomy as she can not simply make her own decisions without simultaneously considering the needs of her pregnancy. While developing, the fetus remains vulnerable to challenges ranging from maternal diabetes to HIV or other congenital infections, from genetic disease to toxins like anesthesia or benzene. For these reasons, the fetus must be protected. Most of the responsibility to shield the fetus from harm falls on the mother who, to fulfill these expectations, must seek prenatal care and a healthy diet.