Another triangle: mother, doctor, and fetus.

Advances in medical technology and drug development have given physicians immense power to save lives. But with these capabilities come moral responsibilities that give rise to serious ethical questions. At the University of Nevada School of Medicine, University Medical Center, patient cases posing moral dilemmas in treatment are discussed in bimonthly meetings. The objective of these meetings, which originated three years ago, is to give residents and staff physicians the principles and skills to address such dilemmas. From time to time we will publish these reports to illustrate how one hospital faced and resolved specific ethical problems on a case-by-case basis.