Are there morally relevant differences between hymen restoration and bloodless treatment for Jehovah’s Witnesses?

BMC Medical Ethics

Niels Lynøe¹  Niklas Juth¹ 

[1] Stockholm Centre for Healthcare Ethics, Karolinska Institutet, LIME, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden

关键词: Virginity;    Hymen reconstruction;    Honour;    Obstetrics and Gynaecology;    Applied and Professional Ethics;   

Others  :  1089937
DOI  :  10.1186/1472-6939-15-89

 received in 2014-09-16, accepted in 2014-12-18,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Hymen reconstruction is a controversial measure performed to help young females under threat of honour-related violence. Official guidelines often reject offering hymen reconstructions. On the other hand, extraordinary measures in order to enable operations of Jehovah’s Witnesses who want a bloodless operation in order to avoid religiously related sanctions are often considered praiseworthy. The aim is thus to examine whether or not there are relevant differences between these two measures.

Discussion

We identified twelve potential differences. One difference could be considered relevant (patient-safety), but in favour of hymenoplastic operations.

Summary

Since we did not identify enough relevant differences to justify offering bloodless operations to Jehovah’s Witnesses but not offering hymen reconstruction due to honour-related norms, we conclude that these two groups of patients should be treated equally. This means that neither of the patient groups should be offered these extraordinary operations or that both groups of patients should be offered such operations. Similarly, there are no reasons for judging those who perform the operations differently.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Juth and Lynøe; licensee BioMed Central.

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