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Late-Term Abortion Scandal Hits Scottland

SCOTTISH hospitals have carried out abortions on severely abnormal foetuses as late as 34 weeks, an investigation by Scotland on Sunday has revealed.
One hospital conducted an abortion just six weeks short of the baby’s due date after the mother refused an earlier offer to terminate 17 weeks into the pregnancy.

Although abortions are permitted beyond the 24-week limit if the baby is abnormal, this newspaper’s investigation has revealed for the first time just how late some of the procedures are being carried out.

Read more from the Scotsman

Plain and simple, abortion is murder at any stage of development. The reported justification for these late term abortions is that the child would have been "abnormal", an ambiguous term left to the discretion of the doctors. Thus, a child that is likely to be disabled loses its instrumental value in the eyes of doctors (and parents) and can therefore be "terminated."

The article goes on to describe the experience of a couple who found out through a routine test during pregnancy that their son had spina bifada. They were informed by their doctors that they had a "choice" to make and that most expecting parents in their position choose abortion.

Rendall, from Edinburgh, felt that her baby had a good chance of a happy healthy life, and decided to go ahead with the pregnancy. "He is a very, very happy baby with a normal life expectancy. I was absolutely right to have him. He’s going to have a wonderful life," she said.

I'm delighted by her decision but hope that she realizes it was right, not because her son had a "good chance of a happy healthy life", but because her son's life, apart from his abilities and perceived quality of life, is precious in the eyes of the Creator and therefore intrinsically valuable.

Cross-posted: prolifeblogs

Posted by tim at April 10, 2005 1:55 AM

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