Call for papers - Moral status and ethical implications of abortion

Guest Editors

Lidia Casas, PhD, Diego Portales University, Chile
Bronwen Merner, PhD, MSH, University of Melbourne, Australia

Submission Status: Open | Submission Deadline: 2 January 2026

BMC Medical Ethics is calling for submissions to engage in the discussion on the moral status and ethical implications of abortion, addressing the diverse perspectives that shape this complex issue. We welcome submissions that examine maternal autonomy, reproductive justice, and the societal impact of legal frameworks, among other topics, to inform ethical discourse and policy development in reproductive healthcare.

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Meet the Guest Editors

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Lidia Casas, PhD, Diego Portales University, Chile

Dr Casas is a Lawyer, Law Professor, and Director of the Human Rights Center at Diego Portales University in Chile. She was a member of the Gender and Rights Advisory Group of the Human Reproduction Programme of the World Health Organization. Her areas of research relate to sexual and reproductive health and rights, including abortion, gender violence, discrimination, and the administration of justice. Dr Casas has been appointed by the Chilean government to the Committee that oversees the National Plan for the Search of Victims of Forced Disappearances during the dictatorship in Chile.

Bronwen Merner, PhD, MSH, University of Melbourne, Australia

Dr Merner is a Research Fellow in the Centre for Health Equity at the University of Melbourne, Australia. She specializes in qualitative health research and her research interests include conscientious objection to abortion and the regulation of genomic research. She is also the Academic Convenor of the University of Melbourne's Reproductive Justice Hallmark Research Initiative.

About the Collection

The moral status and ethical implications surrounding abortion have been subjects of intense debate across various cultural, religious, and philosophical contexts. Addressing the ethical dimensions of abortion is essential for developing frameworks that support informed decision-making and respect for diverse beliefs. Recent advancements in bioethics have fostered a more nuanced understanding of reproductive choice, leading to improved policies and practices that prioritize women's health and autonomy. Additionally, the societal impact of landmark legal cases, such as Roe v. Wade, continues to shape the discourse on reproductive rights, emphasizing the importance of ongoing examination of ethical principles in this arena.

BMC Medical Ethics is calling for submissions to our Collection on Moral status and ethical implications of abortion. This Collection seeks to explore the complexities of abortion ethics, including questions of maternal autonomy, reproductive justice, and the competing moral frameworks that inform individuals’ and societies’ views on this critical issue. Key topics of interest for submission include, but are not limited to:

Maternal autonomy in reproductive decision-making
Reproductive justice and abortion rights
Moral conflict and abortion ethics
Religious perspectives on abortion
Societal impact of Roe v. Wade

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Moral status and ethical implications of abortion" from the dropdown menu.

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.