Critique of the Principle of Procreative Beneficence and Abortion for Abnormalities

 The development of reproductive technologies and the advancement of prenatal diagnostic tests have posed many ethical challenges to abortion for abnormalities. The purpose of this article is to critique Savulescu's argument on the permissible abortion license based on the Principle of Procreative Beneficence and to provide a detailed interpretation of this principle based on the separation of pre-pregnancy and post-pregnancy period.

 In this analytical study, after a purposeful search and review of the literature, the Principle of Procreative Beneficence regarding abortion of the disabled is explained and the criticisms that others have applied about this principle are examined and analyzed with a rational approach.

Ethical Considerations:

 In this research, ethical aspects including the authenticity of the texts, honesty and trustworthiness have been observed.

 A number of principles have been introduced in the decision to become pregnant and to select non-diseased genes; Including the principle of Procreative Autonomy, Principle of Non-Directive Counselling and the `Best Interests of the Child' Principle, however, according to Savulescu, none of these principles can provide the right path for the selection of diseased and non-diseased genes. Thus, Savulescu introduces the Principle of Procreative Beneficence and focuses on the selection of non-diseased genes in the application of this principle. In the examples presented by him, there is no distinction in applying this principle to before and after pregnancy; While the principle of post-pregnancy reproductive benefits leads to termination of pregnancy for fetal abnormality; it is therefore not morally acceptable, even though, it is acceptable in the period before pregnancy.

 Although the application of the Principle of Procreative Beneficence in the post-pregnancy period has morally problems; But this principle can be used to select non-diseased or healthy genes before attempting to conceive and help parents to have a healthy child.