Ethical and Legal Obligations for Research Involving Pregnant Persons in a Post- Dobbs Context

• Published in: The Journal of law, medicine & ethics Vol. 51; no. 3; pp. 504 - 510
• Main Authors: Weinmeyer, Richard M., Shah, Seema K., McGowan, Michelle L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Cambridge University Press 01.01.2023
• Subjects: Abortion; Biomedical research; Biomedical Research - ethics; Ethics; Female; Fetuses; Humans; International organizations; Maternal & child health; Medical ethics; Pregnancy; Pregnancy complications; Pregnant People; Public health; Reproductive rights; Researchers; Review boards; Supreme Court Decisions; Task forces; United States; Womens health; United States; United States > US; Pregnancy; Health Law; Human Subjects Research; Research Ethics and Regulation; Abortion
• ISSN: 1073-1105; 1748-720X; 1748-720X
• DOI: 10.1017/jme.2023.95

In light of a history of categorical exclusion, it is critical that pregnant people are included in research to help improve the knowledge base and interventions needed to address public health. Yet the volatile legal landscape around reproductive rights in the United States threatens to undue recent progress made toward the greater inclusion of pregnant people in research. We offer ethical and practical guidance for researchers, sponsors, and institutional review boards to take specific steps to minimize legal risks and ensure the ethical conduct of research with pregnant people in an evolving legal environment.