Baby boy survives for nearly two days after abortion

[Danno 1,228]

Baby boy survives for nearly two days after abortion

A baby boy abandoned by doctors to die after a botched abortion was found alive nearly two days later.

By Simon Caldwell

Published: 4:29PM BST 28 Apr 2010

The 22-week infant later died in intensive care at a hospital in the mother's home town of Rossano in southern Italy.

The mother, pregnant for the first time, had opted for an abortion after prenatal scans suggested that her baby was disabled.

However the infant survived the procedure, carried out on Saturday in the Rossano Calabria hospital, and was left by doctors to die.

He was discovered alive the following day – some 20 hours after the operation – by Father Antonio Martello, the hospital chaplain, who had gone to pray beside his body.

He found that the baby, wrapped in a sheet with his umbilical cord still attached, was moving and breathing.

The priest raised the alarm and doctors immediately arranged for the infant to be taken to a specialist neonatal unit at a neighbouring hospital where he died on Monday morning.

Italian police are investigating the case for "homicide" because infanticide is illegal in Italy.

The law means that doctors have had an obligation to try to preserve the life of the child once he had survived the abortion.

The Italian government is also considering an inquiry into the conduct of the hospital staff.

The case has reignited controversy on the legality of abortion in the proudly Roman Catholic country.

It could also raise questions in Britain over the legal upper limits for abortion and the viability of the foetus – or its ability to survive outside of the womb.

A spokesman for the ProLife Alliance said: "There cannot be anybody in the world who is not horrified by a story like this nor anybody in the UK who would not support a massive reduction in the upper limit for abortion."

Most abortions at 22 weeks simply involve the induction of the birth which normally results in the death of a young foetus.

The case is causing uproar in Italy because it is the second involving a foetus of that age surviving the procedure in just three years.

The other involved a baby in Florence who weighed just 17oz when he was aborted at 22 weeks because of a suspected genetic disorder but lived for three days.

Since 1978 abortion has been available on demand in Italy in the first three months of pregnancy but is restricted to specific circumstances – such as disability- in the second trimester. The government is considering a review of the working of the laws.

The case also comes as figures in Britain revealed last week that the number of babies born weighing only 2lbs has more than doubled in just two years.

Yet the proportion of tiny babies born stillborn has nearly halved, the health service statistics have shown.

The figures do not reveal at what stage the babies were born but a child weighing under 2lbs is likely to have been born at least three months early.

They will inevitably include some born alive at an age when they could, in other circumstances, have been aborted.

More than 200,000 abortions are performed each year, most for non-medical reasons within the legal upper limit of 24 weeks gestation.

The increasing number of babies surviving below 24 weeks, partly because of advances in medicine, has led to widespread calls for the legal upper limit to be further reduced.

Attempts to lower the limit failed in Parliament in 2008.

In 2005 a baby boy in Manchester was born alive at 24 weeks after surviving three attempts to abort him. He is now a five-year-old schoolboy.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/7646540/Baby-boy-survives-for-nearly-two-days-after-abortion.html

[SMR 368]

Baby boy survives for nearly two days after abortion

A baby boy abandoned by doctors to die after a botched abortion was found alive nearly two days later.

By Simon Caldwell

Published: 4:29PM BST 28 Apr 2010

The 22-week infant later died in intensive care at a hospital in the mother's home town of Rossano in southern Italy.

The mother, pregnant for the first time, had opted for an abortion after prenatal scans suggested that her baby was disabled.

However the infant survived the procedure, carried out on Saturday in the Rossano Calabria hospital, and was left by doctors to die.

He was discovered alive the following day – some 20 hours after the operation – by Father Antonio Martello, the hospital chaplain, who had gone to pray beside his body.

He found that the baby, wrapped in a sheet with his umbilical cord still attached, was moving and breathing.

The priest raised the alarm and doctors immediately arranged for the infant to be taken to a specialist neonatal unit at a neighbouring hospital where he died on Monday morning.

Italian police are investigating the case for "homicide" because infanticide is illegal in Italy.

The law means that doctors have had an obligation to try to preserve the life of the child once he had survived the abortion.

The Italian government is also considering an inquiry into the conduct of the hospital staff.

The case has reignited controversy on the legality of abortion in the proudly Roman Catholic country.

It could also raise questions in Britain over the legal upper limits for abortion and the viability of the foetus – or its ability to survive outside of the womb.

A spokesman for the ProLife Alliance said: "There cannot be anybody in the world who is not horrified by a story like this nor anybody in the UK who would not support a massive reduction in the upper limit for abortion."

Most abortions at 22 weeks simply involve the induction of the birth which normally results in the death of a young foetus.

The case is causing uproar in Italy because it is the second involving a foetus of that age surviving the procedure in just three years.

The other involved a baby in Florence who weighed just 17oz when he was aborted at 22 weeks because of a suspected genetic disorder but lived for three days.

Since 1978 abortion has been available on demand in Italy in the first three months of pregnancy but is restricted to specific circumstances – such as disability- in the second trimester. The government is considering a review of the working of the laws.

The case also comes as figures in Britain revealed last week that the number of babies born weighing only 2lbs has more than doubled in just two years.

Yet the proportion of tiny babies born stillborn has nearly halved, the health service statistics have shown.

The figures do not reveal at what stage the babies were born but a child weighing under 2lbs is likely to have been born at least three months early.

They will inevitably include some born alive at an age when they could, in other circumstances, have been aborted.

More than 200,000 abortions are performed each year, most for non-medical reasons within the legal upper limit of 24 weeks gestation.

The increasing number of babies surviving below 24 weeks, partly because of advances in medicine, has led to widespread calls for the legal upper limit to be further reduced.

Attempts to lower the limit failed in Parliament in 2008.

In 2005 a baby boy in Manchester was born alive at 24 weeks after surviving three attempts to abort him. He is now a five-year-old schoolboy.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/7646540/Baby-boy-survives-for-nearly-two-days-after-abortion.html

I'm very much against abortion.

However, that's not the reason I think the doctors performing this abortion should be disbarred. Think about this. Supposed medical professionals, who have spent years studying the inner-workings of the human body, fail to kill a helpless infant who weighs probably not much more than a single pound and who is moreover disabled. That's sort of like failing to hit the floor with a handful of sand. I don't want to put my life in the hands of anyone that incompetent.

The article has some sort of problem, however, as it refers to children born under 21lbs as being small. There are many ways to describe a 21lb baby but small isn't one of them (ounces maybe).

[Danno 1,228]

I'm very much against abortion.

However, that's not the reason I think the doctors performing this abortion should be disbarred. Think about this. Supposed medical professionals, who have spent years studying the inner-workings of the human body, fail to kill a helpless infant who weighs probably not much more than a single pound and who is moreover disabled. That's sort of like failing to hit the floor with a handful of sand. I don't want to put my life in the hands of anyone that incompetent.

The article has some sort of problem, however, as it refers to children born under 21lbs as being small. There are many ways to describe a 21lb baby but small isn't one of them (ounces maybe).

If I am not mistaken they are citing 2lbs not 21 lbs.

[Ban Hammer 12,835]

disgusting.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

This is life? Protect the oceans? and all that lives there?

I see! but this isnt? Hmmmmmm! CHOICE? Take your PICK! Just SAYIN!

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

So FITTING! For the HYPOCRITES!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LwSdUpeLDc

[The_Dude 1,142]

So FITTING! For the HYPOCRITES!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LwSdUpeLDc

There's the imbecile Marc we've all come to know.... posting moronic videos to serious queries.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

There's the imbecile Marc we've all come to know.... posting moronic videos to serious queries.

Thats all you GOT? I see you got the POINT! Im so glad I aint YOU!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I'm very much against abortion.

However, that's not the reason I think the doctors performing this abortion should be disbarred. Think about this. Supposed medical professionals, who have spent years studying the inner-workings of the human body, fail to kill a helpless infant who weighs probably not much more than a single pound and who is moreover disabled. That's sort of like failing to hit the floor with a handful of sand. I don't want to put my life in the hands of anyone that incompetent.

The article has some sort of problem, however, as it refers to children born under 21lbs as being small. There are many ways to describe a 21lb baby but small isn't one of them (ounces maybe).

The article also doesn't describe the nature or severity of the disability/birth defect or why it wasnt detected prior to 22 weeks.

It tries to lead the reader to conclude that the child might have survived and perhaps have made it through to adulthood. While being left in a bin obviously didn't help , it shouldn't be assumed that the child would have survived to live a normal life. While it's possible, the lack of specific detail means such a conclusion would be fanciful at best.

Edited April 29, 2010 by Its a MADHOUSE

[SMR 368]

If I am not mistaken they are citing 2lbs not 21 lbs.

Heh, late night dyslexia ftw. Yeah, 2 lbs makes more sense.

The article also doesn't describe the nature or severity of the disability/birth defect or why it wasnt detected prior to 22 weeks.

It tries to lead the reader to conclude that the child might have survived and perhaps have made it through to adulthood. While being left in a bin obviously didn't help , it shouldn't be assumed that the child would have survived to live a normal life. While it's possible, the lack of specific detail means such a conclusion would be fanciful at best.

So, if the child was disabled to the extent that it couldn't lead a "normal" life, that would justify killing it? At the risk of sounding a little cliche, I'll mention that you have company when you say that. Hitler would agree.

Also, your post does nothing to address the point that the doctors involved are clearly incompetent.

[Nagishkaw 510]

disgusting.

In 2005 a baby boy in Manchester was born alive at 24 weeks after surviving three attempts to abort him. He is now a five-year-old schoolboy.

That's disturbing.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

So, if the child was disabled to the extent that it couldn't lead a "normal" life, that would justify killing it? At the risk of sounding a little cliche, I'll mention that you have company when you say that. Hitler would agree.

OK dude, that was a little hysterical and took a bit of a giant leap from what I said.

Do I really need to point out to you I see this as a nuanced issue, where nothing is clear-cut or predictable? Shouldn't that be a given?

I am a guy on an online forum - I'm not a politician making an abortion policy along arbitrary lines. So why can you not accept some degree of nuance to what I said? Because of course no reasonable person would see any distinction whatsoever between a child with Diabetes, Downs Syndrome, catastrophic brain damage or quadriplegia.

And no, we really don't need the Hitler references do we, let's not go down that silly road.

Also, your post does nothing to address the point that the doctors involved are clearly incompetent.

So what? That wasn't the focus of what I was saying - can you at least accept that there are multiple dimensions to this story? The failure to cover every base doesn't imply something sinister. Why would you think that it does?

I don't really understand why you feel a need to be hostile right off the bat. I get that abortion is a charged issue, but seriously... you need to calm down.

The only reason I quoted your post is because it was the only one that attempted to address the topic before Col. Lingus when off on his usual nutcase rants. Is it more offensive to you that someone would respond on-topic or that they would use a thread like this for the purposes of trolling?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

That's disturbing.

It is, but without knowing the specific details of the case or what the circumstances were that prompted the abortions; what this story is asking you to conclude is that somehow the child in this story could have survived and lived a normal life. Perhaps that is indeed the case, but the story doesn't elaborate on that point beyond a vague mention of unknown disabilities.

[Nagishkaw 510]

It is, but without knowing the specific details of the case or what the circumstances were that prompted the abortions; what this story is asking you to conclude is that somehow the child in this story could have survived and lived a normal life. Perhaps that is indeed the case, but the story doesn't elaborate on that point beyond a vague mention of unknown disabilities.

True, but at least the child is alive. Perhaps if there are disabilities, there can be a chance to overcome them. Just saying.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

sad part is, the baby would have been left to die in the states......happens a few times a year :/