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Exactly, Jim. Sir Gawain, I think the language you are focusing on is this:

`(A) the person performing the abortion deliberately and intentionally vaginally delivers a living fetus until,
in the case of a head- first presentation, the entire fetal head is outside the body of the mother,
or,
in the case of breech presentation,
any part of the fetal trunk past the navel is outside the body of the mother for the purpose of performing an overt act that the person knows will kill the partially delivered living fetus;

It is in the breech delivery that the naval comes into play. Most PBA's are performed with a head presentation. If a baby is delivered breech, for the purpose of killing it (PBA) that is when the naval must be outside the body of the mother. And yes, Sir Gawain, in a head-first delivery PBA, the entire head must be outside the mother's body in order for the scissors to be inserted in the base of the baby's skull.

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While maintaining this tension, lifting the cervix and applying traction to the shoulders with the fingers of the left hand, the surgeon takes a pair of blunt curved Metzenbaum scissors in the right hand. He carefully advances the tip, curved down along the spine and under his middle finger until he feels it contact the base of the skull under the tip of his middle finger.

Reassessing proper placement of the closed scissors tip and safe elevation of the cervix, the surgeon then forces the scissors into the base of the skull or into the foramen magnum. Having safely entered the skull, he spreads the scissors to enlarge the opening.

Words from the originator of the proceedure.

If a baby is delivered breech, for the purpose of killing it (PBA) that is when the naval must be outside the body of the mother.

Just to confirm, you are saying that it is impossible to do a PBA without having the navel exposed. Correct?

If so, what is the medical reason the navel must be exposed?

in a head-first delivery PBA, the entire head must be outside the mother's body in order for the scissors to be inserted in the base of the baby's skull.

Can a PBA be performed on a baby with only the top of the head exposed?
Couldn't an abortionist drive a spike through the gap in the unfused cranial sutures, clear through the head and into the base of the skull?