is abortion correct when it saves the mother?

[nerd1]

I have an ethical question. before asking this, I would like to put down some postulated.
-A child is fully sentient during all stages of pregnancy
-A natural birth is the only possible option
-If the child is born, the woman dies
-If the child is aborted then the woman lives
to sum it up
-only one can live
-if the woman dies, then the child will live, without any birth defects
-The woman knows this
Looking at it from an outside point of view, do you believe it would be ethical for the woman to abort the child to save her own life, or should she have to die and let the child live? why or why not?

Okay, Here are a few edits,
-if the baby is born, It will be cared for
-if the baby is aborted, the mother will be perfectly fine, and there will be no side effects from abortion.
and here is an optional choice to add in your responses:
-whichever one lives will be immortal

[Bloodshadow]

I... honestly don't know. But the woman, if she's a good person, will probably choose to sacrifice herself to let the baby live.

To further increase the controversy, I suggest you add this to the situation: The baby is a result of rape. The rapist has already gotten the appropriate punishment. The woman already has a husband and another child.

[Essence]

Depends. If the woman will become sterile because of the abortion, the baby should be saved at the expense of the woman.
If the woman won't, kill the baby and let the woman make another baby later.

Note: this answer isn't my personal philosophy, but it'll be fun to defend, so let's do it.

[Korugar]

It's up to the mother. It's her life that would be lost, and it's she who would have to live with knowing her baby died "to save her."

[OldTrees]

Deeply controversial topic even among moral philosophers.

[BluePriest]

Deeply controversial topic even among moral philosophers.

Oldtrees didnt have anything to say!!!

Well, in an ultimatum situation like this, there would have to be many different things to consider.
Is there a husband in the picture?
Will he be able to support the baby if the wife dies?

If I was in the situation where my wife was going to die, I would probably say abort the baby. Although I am strongly against abortion, if it comes to one life or the other, then I believe it to be up to the family to make the decision.

@Essence-Rape I think would make it less controversial, not more. Less reason to agree to keep the baby. Not only would the wife be dead, but the husband would be left with a child that is not his aside from the wife giving it to him.

[nerd1]

Okay, Here are a few edits,
-if the baby is born, It will be cared for
-if the baby is aborted, the mother will be perfectly fine, and there will be no side effects from abortion.
and here is an optional choice to add in your responses:
-whichever one lives will be immortal

[OldTrees]

and here is an optional choice to add in your responses:
-whichever one lives will be immoral

Ought implies can therefore there exists at least 1 moral (neutral, supererogatory or required) option.

[Belthus]

It should be the mother's choice. Forcing her to complete the pregnancy and forcing her to have an abortion are equally repugnant.

[nerd1]

It should be the mother's choice. Forcing her to complete the pregnancy and forcing her to have an abortion are equally repugnant.

That is not the point. the point is whether it should be illegal to abort the baby in this case, and you must speak from an outside view.

[Belthus]

It should be the mother's choice. Forcing her to complete the pregnancy and forcing her to have an abortion are equally repugnant.

That is not the point. the point is whether it should be illegal to abort the baby in this case, and you must speak from an outside view.

I don't know what you mean by "an outside view." I am not a woman, and I am not a fetus. Does that make my view that of an outsider?

I don't consider an abortion, chosen by the woman, even without her certain death, to be a bad thing that should be outlawed. Maybe you do, but you shouldn't assume that everyone shares your view. So my answer is that abortion should be legal.

[OldTrees]

It should be the mother's choice. Forcing her to complete the pregnancy and forcing her to have an abortion are equally repugnant.

That is not the point. the point is whether it should be illegal to abort the baby in this case, and you must speak from an outside view.

False.

The OP decided to discuss Abortion as it applied to Morality not to Legality. The question is which option or options are moral (neutral, supererogatory or required) not whether laws should be written.