Catholic Ping - please freepmail me if you want on/off this list
Posted on 10/29/2004 6:16:15 AM PDT by NYer
MORE than half of all late-term abortions in South Australia involved mothers carrying healthy babies, figures compiled for The Advertiser show.
From 1998 to 2002, there were 377 late-term abortions – classified as more than 20 weeks – of which 16 were performed at 24 weeks or later.
The mother's mental state was the most common reason for late-term abortions, with 196 recorded in the five years.
Fetal abnormalities led to a further 171 abortions, with the remaining 10 being performed because the mother had developed a medical problem.
The head of the Health Department's Pregnancy Outcome Unit, Dr Annabelle Chan, said many late terminations through the mother's mental health were because of late diagnosis of pregnancy.
"Some deny the pregnancy or can't make up their mind until quite late," she said.
"Or there's a break-up of the relationship and, sometimes, very rarely, it would be (because of) a pre-existing psychiatric condition."
None of the abortions for mental health reasons occurred beyond 22 weeks' gestation.
Right to Life Australia vice-president Dr John James said the figures "confirmed what we have always suspected".
"The proponents of late-term abortion always insist the majority of late term abortions are done almost entirely for severe congenital abnormalities," he said.
"We have always maintained it is not the case and these figures show that it is not the case."
He said a mother's mental state should not be seen as an "acceptable reason" to terminate.
The abnormalities in the 16 fetuses aborted at 24 weeks or later included spina bifida, Down Syndrome, Trisomy 18, which is a severe chromosomal disorder, skeletal growth abnormalities and a diaphragmatic hernia.
SA laws permit medical termination of pregnancy up to, but not including, 28 weeks' gestation for the sake of the mother's physical or mental health or if the child would be "seriously handicapped".
The medical chief of the Women's and Babies' Division of the Women's and Children's Hospital, Dr Ross Sweet, said late abortions were distressing for parents and not decided lightly.
"It's kicking and all those things, then they find a diagnosis that leads them to make this decision," he said. "They really need enormous support."
The 2003 abortion statistics tabled in Parliament this week show the abortion rate fell to its lowest for more than seven years.
South Australian women had 5214 abortions last year, a fall of 249 compared to the previous year.
Ping!
Catholic Ping - please freepmail me if you want on/off this list
I don't get the headline. Aren't babies in most late abortions dead?
Oh, yeah, that's what they need all right: support. Maybe some friends to tell them, "Good thing you killed your defective kid because we didn't want any retards living on our block!"
Once the abortion is performed, yes...the healthy baby is dead.
Of course they are, they're just unwanted. Its a CHOICE not a Life, remember! That is what they want us to believe.
Extending the CHOICE logic, should it make any difference that a child is actually born, can walk and speak? The child lives only because of the CHOICE of its parents. Its just tissue, right? The parents should be able to do whatever they CHOOSE to do up to and including killing it. Its their CHOICE right?
Why stop at partial birth abortion? Why not permit CHOICE after full birth? CHOICE through the age of reason? OK after the age of reason the child can CHOOSE for themselves whether to remain living, only then will the law protect them from harm.
I personally believe that Satan would like nothing better than for us to continue to kill our children, at whatever age. Legalized, procured abortion on demand is the road to ruin, and in this country it is the size and condition of the autobahn(sp?).
I pray to God that this will not happen, and we can get back to a Culture of Life.
Well, right up to the point where the murderer sucks their brain out, they're healthy.
"The mother's mental state was the most common reason for late-term abortions, with 196 recorded in the five years."
The vagueness of "mental health" diagnoses, which can include things like simple anxiety, provide an enormous loophole allowing virtually unrestricted abortions "for the health of the mother." That's why the absence of such a loophole is then used by cynical libs like Kerry as an excuse for voting against the Partial Birth Abortion Ban.
I don't believe that. Partial Birth Abortions can be done at the very last minute. They are done "for reasons of health" and I see no reason to believe that the "reason" is always the physical health of the mother. A caesarian section can be performed to save both lives (if necessary). The fact that a Partial Birth Abortion is the option chosen will tell you all you need to know about the "reason".
""It's kicking and all those things"
Abortionist: "Yeah, well we will soon put an end to THAT!!"
Yes the healthy baby is dead but I'd rather get to the point. The baby, healthy or otherwise was murdered.
This is DISGUSTING!! At 24 Weeks with todays technology a child has a good chance at life... an Abortion is far more traumatic on a woman phyisically than a C Section. To argue giving a woman an abortion for medical reasons at this stage of their pregnancy is nothing more than defacto murder.
Late term abortions are NEVER in the mothers interest physically, it is far harder, riskier and traumatic on the woman than a standard C section.
Medically a cesarian is ALWAYS less traumatic and less risky than a partial birth.
Partial Birth is NEVER a medically indicated procedure. Its basically about harvesting parts for research and its despicable.
Forcing a breech birth, then crushing the skull at the last minute is a procedure that is far far far more medically risky, traumatic and harmful to the woman than a cesarian in ALL cases.
Partial Birth abortion for the purposes of a mothers help is a 100% LIE, it is never medically indicated, nor is it the least tramatic and risky means to help a physically distressed woman.
This makes me sick.
That was my point, too.
At least the headline's not as biased as it would be in the U.S. Media -- the Aussie story used the correct word "babies". A U.S. headline would probably antiseptically say "Most Late-Aborted Fetuses are Thought to be Viable, Says Study"
As for partial-birth abortions, you are right. It is never medically indicated. There would usually not even be a need for a cesarian if the safe delivery of the baby was the issue. In partial-birth abortion, the vaginal delivery is nearly complete by the time the baby is killed. Delivering the baby the rest of the way is not the problem.
The "problem" occurs when the baby may be viable and could survive. That is when partial-birth abortion is done, to eliminate the posssiblity of survival, not to ensure the end of the pregnancy. The pregnancy could be ended just as surely by delivering the baby and sending it to the neonatal nursery.
"A U.S. headline would probably antiseptically say "Most Late-Aborted Fetuses are Thought to be Viable, Says Study""
Excellent choice using the MSM word< "Viable" to describe an unborn healthy baby. Imagine buying a car and asking the salesman if the car is dependable and have him tell you "well...it's viable".
At 24 weeks, inducing labor through saline or other means is unadulterated murder, its not even a debate at that point. Birth at 24 Weeks with todays technology is an over 50% survival rate when doctors make effort to save the child.
Obviously the child will have all the risks of problems that all premies have, but it is viable at that point. Abortion is murder at any stage, but this stuff is Dr Mengala.
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