Italy investigates report baby lived through abortion

[howard112211]

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/04/29/italy.botched.abortion/index.html?hpt=T2

Rome, Italy (CNN) -- Italian officials are investigating reports that an infant survived an abortion, living for "a whole day" after having been left to die by hospital staff, the Italian Ministry of Health said.

The "premature newborn ... survived an abortion at 22 weeks of pregnancy," the ministry said, citing "media reports." Pregnancy normally lasts about 40 weeks.


I am pro choice. I post this here however, because I am interested in the DU take on this. What is the ethical way to deal with such things? If the mother wants to end the pregnancy, and the fetus survives the procedure, are doctors morally required to do what they can do save its life? If the fetus is in a stage where it is in principle viable, and the mother wants to terminate the pregnancy, are doctors required to do what they can to make sure the fetus does not survive the procedure, or should late term abortions be performed as induced premature births, where the fetus is treated as an independent human being as soon as it is detached? Does a woman's right to make decisions about her own body imply that she has the right to want the fetus dead, or does she only have a right to end the pregnancy?

What this shows IMO is that the number of philosophical and ethical questions is smaller, the earlier the abortion is performed.

[murray hill farm]

1. The question would be..

Is a 5 mo fetus viable? Not very likely!

[sinkingfeeling]

2. OK, either the fetus was defective or the mother's health required an abortion that far into

pregnancy. That's the two things Italian law allows. I think that eliminates your questions about the mother's desire to end the pregnancy. However, if during/after the procedure, the doctors should be held responsible to 1) make sure the fetus is not alive/breathing and 2) should the fetus be alive, to provide immediate medical care. If anybody is at fault, it is the doctor who did not verify the fetus was not living.

[MiniMe]

3. I'm calling BS on this until it is proven

Even if a 5 month old fetus did survive the abortion itself, I think it would be almost impossible for it to survive a "whole day" without intense medical intervention. And I agree, if it did somehow survive, the doctors should be obligated to to treat the baby, at the hospital's cost, not at the mom's cost.

[Ilsa]

5. I'm with you on this. I'm not saying the OP is trying to BS us, but I think the story is BS. nt

[MiniMe]

7. Exactly, I wasn't calling BS on the OP

But either the fetus was older than 22 weeks, or it wasn't an entire day.

[howard112211]

8. Well, I did post a link to CNN. It may be BS, but I just assumed it a legit source.

May still be BS though.

[MiniMe]

10. The story is just that they are investigating it

I'm not calling you out, you posted a legit story. I'm calling out the story itself. Mostly the 22 weeks part. It will be interesting to see how this turns out.

[Arkansas Granny]

6. I think you make some very good points.

[BellaLuna]

9. I used to work in a hospital

and saw this once. Admittedly I don't remember exactly how far along the pregnancy was but the fetus was alive when it passed through. The nurses freaked out and ran into the nursery and I never heard another thing about it I can claim as fact.

I 'heard' it was about 6 hours before dying.

[Ilsa]

4. I disagree that 22 weeks is "in principle viable."

Certainly not without significant long term birth defects.