Fetus and issues of its medical and legal evaluation
V.A. SPIRIDONOV1,2, L.G. ALEXANDROVA1, R.R. LATFULLINA3, E.V. KULAKOVA1
1Kazan State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Kazan
2Forensic Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Moscow
3First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov, Moscow
Contact:
Alexandrova L.G. ― PhD (medicine), Associate Professor of the Department of Forensic Medicine
Address: 6/30 Tolstoy Str., 420015, Kazan, Russian Federation, tel. +7-987-296-70-72, e-mail: lilya-aleksandrova@yandex.ru
Objective: medico-legal analysis of the current regulatory framework of the Russian Federation, relating to the early stages of human development.
Material and methods. The current legislation of the Russian Federation in the sphere of obstetrics and gynecology; lawcase materials; statistics; scientific literature.
Results. From the biomedical point of view, a fetus older than 22 weeks can exist separately from the mother’s body. Current legislation does not provide a fetus with full legal protection. In the applicable legal documents there is no consistency regarding the interpretation of clinical and morphological indicators.
Conclusion. It is necessary to consider the possibility of conferring rights on a fetus starting from certain developmental periods.
Key words: fetus, prenatal period, legal capacity, live birth, forensic medical examination, court.
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