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An evaluation of ethical problems related to hypoxic ischemic brain injury in neonates born in South African state institutions
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2021
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| _version_ | 1867613975495049216 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Lotz, Jan Willem |
| author2 | Hall, Susan |
| author_browse | Hall, Susan Lotz, Jan Willem |
| author_facet | Hall, Susan Lotz, Jan Willem |
| author_sort | Lotz, Jan Willem |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2021. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/109994 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:41.084Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publishDateRange | 2021 |
| publishDateSort | 2021 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/109994 An evaluation of ethical problems related to hypoxic ischemic brain injury in neonates born in South African state institutions Lotz, Jan Willem Hall, Susan Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Philosophy. Bioethics State hospitals -- Complaints against -- South Africa Medical personnel -- Malpractice -- South Africa Newborn infants -- Legal status, laws, etc. Fetal death -- Moral and ethical aspects Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopaphy in neonates UCTD Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2021. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Thousands of South African children die or are physically and cognitively permanently impaired during birth due to a recurring pattern of professional negligence in state institutions. South African high courts persistently award large sums of money to plaintiffs for what is often described in judgements as gross or criminal professional negligence. This aberration in South Africa's health care delivery is in a downward spiral with no perceptible attempt from the health care bureaucracy to identify and address the root causes of what could be pronounced a national catastrophe. The thesis evaluates the moral status of the term fetus in the intrauterine environment, concluding that it is equal to the moral status of the newborn infant in terms of a separation-survivability point, which is perceived as a morally significant milestone. At about 25 weeks gestational age, the gradual development of the prenatal human being reaches the stage where it can survive separation from its mother, should it be born alive at that point. This radically alters pre-personal moral significance: since there is no justifiable moral basis for differentiation between a specific (healthy) neonate and a specific (normal) viable fetus in the last weeks of pregnancy, these entities, the same human being in different phases of development, are entitled to equal treatment. Once established that the moral status of the term fetus in the intrauterine environment is equal to the newborn infant, it follows that under Section 24 of the Bill of Rights of the Republic of South Africa, the term fetus has a right to an intrauterine environment that is not harmful to his or her health or well-being and the Constitution should protect them from the scourge of professional negligence during labour. The Constitutional Court of the land should uphold this right. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Duisende Suid Afrikaanse kinders sterf of word fisies en kognitief permanent beskadig gedurende geboorte as gevolg van ‘n herhalende patroon van professionele nalatigheid. Die Suid Afrikaanse hooggeregshowe ken op ’n deurlopende basis groot bedrae geld toe aan eisers vir wat gereeld in uitsprake as growwe of kriminele professionele nalatigheid beskryf word. Hierdie afwyking in Suid-Afrikaanse gesondheidsorg is in ’n afwaartse spiraal en kan beskou word as ’n nasionale ramp. In die tesis word die morele status van die term fetus in die intrauteriene omgewing ondersoek met die gevolgtrekking dat dit op dieselfde vlak as die morele status van die pasgebore neonaat is in terme van ’n sogenaamde skeidings-oorlewingspunt wat as ’n belangrike morele mylpaal beskou word. Teen ongeveer 25 weke gestasie-ouderdom, bereik die geleidelike ontwikkeling van die prenatale mens ’n staat waarin hy of sy ’n skeidingsproses van die moeder kan oorleef as geboorte op daardie stadium sou plaasvind. Dit skep ’n drastiese verandering in voor-persoonlike morele belang: Aangesien daar geen regverdigbare morele basis is vir die onderskeiding tussen ’n bepaalde (gesonde) neonaat en ’n spesifieke (normale) lewensvatbare fetus in die laaste fase van swangerskap nie, moet hierdie twee entiteite, dieselfde mens in onderskeie fases van ontwikkeling, op gelyke vlak behandel word. Nadat daar vasgestel is dat die morele status van die term fetus in die intrauteriene omgewing gelykstaande is aan die pasgebore neonaat, volg dit dat, onder Afdeling 24 van die Handves van Regte van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, die term fetus die reg het tot ‘n omgewing wat nie skadelik is vir gesondheid en welstand nie, en moet deur die Grondwet beskerm word teen die gevolge van professionele nalatigheid tydens geboorte. Dit is die plig van die Konstitusionele Hof om hierdie reg te beskerm. Masters 2021-03-03T07:22:50Z 2021-04-21T14:35:25Z 2021-03-03T07:22:50Z 2021-04-21T14:35:25Z 2021-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/109994 en_ZA Stellenbosch University vii, 86 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Bioethics State hospitals -- Complaints against -- South Africa Medical personnel -- Malpractice -- South Africa Newborn infants -- Legal status, laws, etc. Fetal death -- Moral and ethical aspects Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopaphy in neonates UCTD Lotz, Jan Willem An evaluation of ethical problems related to hypoxic ischemic brain injury in neonates born in South African state institutions |
| title | An evaluation of ethical problems related to hypoxic ischemic brain injury in neonates born in South African state institutions |
| title_full | An evaluation of ethical problems related to hypoxic ischemic brain injury in neonates born in South African state institutions |
| title_fullStr | An evaluation of ethical problems related to hypoxic ischemic brain injury in neonates born in South African state institutions |
| title_full_unstemmed | An evaluation of ethical problems related to hypoxic ischemic brain injury in neonates born in South African state institutions |
| title_short | An evaluation of ethical problems related to hypoxic ischemic brain injury in neonates born in South African state institutions |
| title_sort | evaluation of ethical problems related to hypoxic ischemic brain injury in neonates born in south african state institutions |
| topic | Bioethics State hospitals -- Complaints against -- South Africa Medical personnel -- Malpractice -- South Africa Newborn infants -- Legal status, laws, etc. Fetal death -- Moral and ethical aspects Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopaphy in neonates UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/109994 |
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