Potential conflicts in midwifery practice regarding conscientious objection to abortions in Scotland

Background:This study was developed as a result of a court case involving conflicts between midwives’ professional practice and their faith when caring for women undergoing abortions in Scotland.Research questions:What are practising Roman Catholics’ perspectives of potential conflicts between midwives’ professional practice in Scotland with regard to involvement in abortions and their faith? How relevant is the ‘conscience clause’ to midwifery practice today? and What are participants’ understandings of Canon 1398 in relation to midwifery practice?Research design:The theoretical underpinning of this study was Gadamer’s hermeneutic out of which the method developed by Fleming et al. involving a five-stage approach was utilised.Participants and research context:The research was conducted in the south of Scotland. A purposive sampling method was used. Eight participants who were practising Roman Catholics familiar with the subject of conscientious objection who were either midwives, lawyers (civil, canon or...