23 June 2018
Secretary,
Abortion Supervisory Committee,
Dear Ms Cole
Late Term Abortions
It is noted that the most recent annual report for The Maternal Mortality Review Committee [MMRC] for 2015 reveals that the Committee was advised of a total of 107 abortions of a gestation of 20 weeks or more. Your Committee’s report for 2016 reported that 70 abortions had been performed at 20 weeks or more in 2015.
There is a difference of 37 late term abortions, this raises several important questions. It is assumed that the number of 107 reported by the MMRC is correct. If that assumption is correct then it would appear that 37 late term abortions were not reported or were not reported correctly to your Committee.
It is also noted that 88 late term abortions were reported to the MMRC as being performed on the grounds of foetal abnormality. Under the Crimes Act abortions are unlawful if performed on the grounds of foetal abnormality after 12 weeks gestation.
I would be grateful if you would advise me:-
- Is the Committee concerned that there is a discrepancy of 37 late term abortions in the Committee’s report for 2016?
- What action will the Committee take to investigate the lawfulness of the 37 late term abortions that appear to have been authorised on the grounds of foetal abnormality?
- What action will the Committee take to ensure that abortions performed after 12 weeks gestation are lawful and not done on the grounds of foetal abnormality?
Yours sincerely
Ken Orr
Secretary
Rhona says
June 26, 2018 at 8:32 amThe problem is that this may not be Down Syndrome, or it should not be. Down Syndrome may bring associated intellectual disability, but it is not life-threatening unless there are compound medical conditions as well as Down Syndrome, which is quite rare. Many people with Down Syndrome live long and fulfilled lives- or if they’;re ‘allowed’ to.
However, the question then is whether these ‘fetal anomalies’ indeed are ‘lethal’ for the unborn child in this context. Unfortunately, this is an area which is particularly fraught. Remember, thanks to Margaret Thatcher, in the United Kingdom, disabled children are alowed to be aborted up until what would otherwise be the due date in this context.