Euthanasia of Pretamture Babies :: Free Euthanasia Essay

Amy gave birth to a baby boy after only 24 weeks gestation. The premature child weighed only 1 1/4 lbs and was only 13 inches. Statistically, the child has between a 5% and a 20% chance of survival and over a 50% chance of growing up with intellegence disabilities, cerebral palsy, blindness, and deafness. Should money be continually spent on medical treatment or should the parents and/ or doctor be given the rigt to take away the life support? What is euthanasia? Is it just a murder, or is it a helpful procedure to end people's suffering? It is the "act of helping a person end his or her life in a painless fashion to relieve unbearable suffering". It is the taking of a human life by another person to prevent further pain and misery. There are four types of euthanasia: Active, Passive, Voluntary and Involuntary. Active Euthanasia is when a second party, whether is be a doctor or someone else, discretely introduces a lethal amount of medication into the sick or dying person. Passive Euthanasia involves the removal of medical treatment from the suffering individual. Voluntary Euthanasia is when the patient asks his or her doctor to assist in the procedures to ensure the end of the patient's life. Involuntary Euthanasia is present in Amy's case, along with Passive Euthanasia. It is when the individual who is suffering is either in a coma, incompitent, or a premature child that cannot speak for itself, and instea d of the patient making the decision, the family and/ or doctor does. Prematurity is when a child is born within less than 36 weeks gestation. The child is usually born with low birth weight, some type of physical deformity and / or any kind of mental problems that can all lead to a future of being outcatsed. Around half the babies born at 24 weeks are at risk of growing up with severe disabilities. Minor disabilities dont usually occur until further in the child's life, approximately once the child begins attending school. Reading and learning problems may occur. Obviously, the earlier the child is born the less chance of survival and health there is. This is because the babies have not yet fully developed the lungs, causing sudden collapses with every breath the child takes. "Matters involving the most intimate and personal choices a person may take in a lifetime...are central to the liberty protected by the 14th amendment.