PHINMA University of Iloilo Ethics

Student Activity Sheets Course and year level_____________

[Day/Session #29]
NAME: ________________________________________________

Lesson Title: Materials:

Activity Sheets

Reference/s:
Lesson Objectives: At the end of the lesson, students will:
Babor, Eddie. Bioethics. 2nd ed. C and
1. Discuss the salient points of abortion and mutilation E Publications, Quezon City
2. Write a letter to women who have undergone abortion, and/or
planning to have induced abortion

Preview
Fill in the blanks.

The main purpose of human experimentation is not to help this ________________ (who is now an experimental
subject) but to advance _________________________________ so that patients (suffering the same ailment as the
experimental subject) may be healed.

Concept notes

Pre-printed Notes

Deciding whether to have an abortion

While many women have made their decision to have an abortion before attending a clinic, you may feel you need
more information to help make your decision. This may include information about alternatives (such as adoption
and foster care), and support services that are available if you wish to continue with your pregnancy.
So that your decision is fully informed, at your first visit the abortion service provider will inform you about:
 the procedure
 the risks
 anaesthesia options for surgical termination
 PHINMA University of Iloilo Ethics
Student Activity Sheets Course and year level_____________
[Day/Session #29]
NAME: ________________________________________________

 pre- and post-abortion support.

If you need an interpreter, let the clinic know before you have your first appointment. They can arrange an
interpreter on the phone or face-to-face.
If you are considering abortion and having difficulty making a decision, unbiased, non-judgemental and non-
directional counselling from a trained professional may help you to work through your feelings and thoughts.
Medicare-rebated pregnancy support counselling services are provided by some doctors, social workers, mental
health nurses and psychologists.

Follow-up care and emotional support after an abortion

How you feel after an abortion will depend on your reasons for having one and how comfortable you were about
your decision. In most cases, emotional distress peaks before the procedure and resolves soon after. 
After having the procedure, most women feel:
 relief 
 the return of a feeling of control
 that they made the right decision for them at the time.
After an abortion, some women find it helpful to talk about their experiences with a trained professional. For some
women, professional, non-biased counselling can be valuable. 

Myths and facts – Abortion

Myth: Abortion causes long-term health problems such as infertility

Fact: Abortion is not linked to infertility
Myth: Abortion causes breast cancer
Fact: Abortion is not linked to breast cancer.
Myth: Abortion causes long-term psychological or emotional problems or 'post abortion syndrome'
Fact: There is no evidence to support the existence of ‘post abortion syndrome’.
Evidence suggests that the most common feeling women have after an abortion is relief, and that women who have
received support, and feel they have made a free and informed decision that is right for them, will not experience emotional or
psychological trauma.
If the decision has been difficult, women may feel sadness or have other negative feelings, especially in the short term. 
Every woman will have her own unique experience and, if she wants to, can access services to help her with decision-making and
provide support, before and after having an abortion.
Myth: Medical abortion drugs make the pregnancy 'go away' or get 'absorbed back into your body'
Fact: Medical abortion is intended to result in the pregnancy being expelled from your body. This takes the form of
bleeding and cramps that may be heavier and more painful than a normal period.
Myth: You can only have a medical abortion in a hospital
Fact: The initial consultation for a medical abortion can take place in a range of settings with a doctor authorised to
prescribe the medications.
Myth: Medical abortion is very painful
Fact: It is normal and expected to experience bleeding and some cramping, which may become strong. Pain relief is
advised and women often report that if they are well informed about what to expect, have made an informed choice about which
method to use, and understand what is happening to their body and the different stages of the process, then they are more prepared
and are better able to cope.

Female genital mutilation Key Facts

 Female genital mutilation (FGM) includes procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female
genital organs for non-medical reasons.
 The procedure has no health benefits for girls and women.
 PHINMA University of Iloilo Ethics
Student Activity Sheets Course and year level_____________
[Day/Session #29]
NAME: ________________________________________________

 Procedures can cause severe bleeding and problems urinating, and later cysts, infections, as well as
complications in childbirth and increased risk of newborn deaths.
 More than 200 million girls and women alive today have been cut in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle
East and Asia where FGM is concentrated (1).
 FGM is mostly carried out on young girls between infancy and age 15.
 FGM is a violation of the human rights of girls and women.
Circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin, the tissue covering the head(glans) of the penis. It is an
ancient practice that has its origin in religious rites. Today, many parents have their sons circumcised for religious
or other reasons. It is usually performed on the first or second day after birth. (Among the Jewish population,
circumcision is performed on the eighth day.) The procedure becomes more complicated and riskier in older
babies, children, and men.

Is circumcision necessary?

The use of circumcision for medical or health reasons is an issue that continues to be debated. The American
Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) found that the health benefits of newborn male circumcision outweigh the risks, but
the benefits are not great enough to recommend universal newborn circumcision. The procedure may be
recommended in older boys and men to treat phimosis (the inability to retract the foreskin) or to treat an infection
of the penis.
Parents should talk with their doctor about the benefits and risks of the procedure before making a decision
regarding circumcision of a male child. Other factors, such as your culture, religion, and personal preference, will
also be involved in your decision.

What are the benefits of circumcision?

There is some evidence that circumcision has health benefits, including:

 A decreased risk of urinary tract infections.

 A reduced risk of some sexually transmitted diseases in men.
 Protection against penile cancer and a reduced risk of cervical cancer in female sex partners.
 Prevention of balanitis (inflammation of the glans) and balanoposthitis (inflammation of the glans and
foreskin).
 Prevention of phimosis (the inability to retract the foreskin) and paraphimosis (the inability to return the
foreskin to its original location).

Comprehension activity:
Identify whether it is a fact or a myth.

Fact or Myth Reasons

1. Female Genital Mutilation has lots of
health benefits.

2. Miscarriages are acts of immorality.

3. Mutilation is often linked to religion and

belief systems.

4. Circumcision is also an example of

 PHINMA University of Iloilo Ethics
Student Activity Sheets Course and year level_____________
[Day/Session #29]
NAME: ________________________________________________

mutilation.

5. Induced abortion is in contradiction to

moral standards.

Guided practice
Do you agree to Female Genital Mutilation? Why or why not? Explain your answer.
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Independent practice
Write a letter to women who have undergone abortion, and/or planning to have induced abortion.

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 PHINMA University of Iloilo
Student Activity Sheets
NAME: ________________________________________________
Additional practice – Enrichment activity
What advice can you give to avoid induced abortion?
Ethics
Course and year level_____________
[Day/Session #29]
Important Things I have learned
today:
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Questions in my mind that needs to
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 PHINMA University of Iloilo Ethics
Student Activity Sheets Course and year level_____________
[Day/Session #29]
NAME: ________________________________________________

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Thinking about your learning

What do you think does this quote mean?

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Pro-choice is a lie: babies don't choose to die. _______________________________
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