What about the survivors?

Would you believe that some babies actually survive an abortion attempt? In the UK, at least 50 of them do each year, according to this article.

In practice, according to Stuart Campbell, former professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at St George's hospital, London, a number do survive.

"They can be born breathing and crying at 19 weeks' gestation," he said. "I am not anti-abortion, but as far as I am concerned this is sub-standard medicine."

The number of terminations carried out in the 18th week of pregnancy or later has risen from 5,166 in 1994 to 7,432 last year.

That's seven THOUSAND late-term abortions in the UK last year. Of course, if you're only worried about the botched ones that live through the procedure, that's, what, six tenths of one percent? Probably one of the better statistics for surgical procedure success rates. But if you're like me and you're just simply appalled at that number, well, just imagine that in the United States alone, since 1973 when abortion was legalized, there have been nearly forty-six MILLION legal abortions (using data through 2002). Anyway, back to our article:

Prenatal diagnosis for conditions such as Down syndrome is increasing and foetuses with the condition are routinely aborted, even though many might be capable of leading fulfilling lives. In the past decade, doctors' skill in saving the lives of premature babies has improved radically: at least 70%-80% of babies in their 23rd or 24th week of gestation now survive long-term.

Abortion on demand is allowed in Britain up to 24 weeks -- more than halfway through a normal pregnancy and the highest legal limit for such terminations in Europe. France and Germany permit "social" abortions only up to the 10th and 12th weeks respectively.

Doctors are increasingly uneasy about aborting babies who could be born alive. "If viability is the basis on which they set the 24-week limit for abortion, then the simplest answer is to change the law and reduce the upper limit to 18 weeks," said Campbell, who last year published a book showing images of foetuses' facial expressions and "walking" movements taken with a form of 3-D ultrasound.

The Department of Health was alerted three months ago to the issue of babies surviving failed terminations. In August clinicians in Manchester published an analysis of 31 such babies born in northwest England between 1996 and 2001.

"If a baby is born alive following a failed abortion and then dies (because of lack of care), you could potentially be charged with murder," said Shantala Vadeyar, a consultant obstetrician at South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust, who led the study.

A systematic investigation of data collected through the CEMACH indicated that there are at least 50 cases a year nationwide in which babies survive abortion attempts.

"First sight of our data suggests this is happening," said Shona Golightly, the agency's research director. She said official confirmation of the figures would be available next year.

It is not known how many babies who survive attempted abortions go on to live into adulthood.

Paul Clarke, a neonatal intensive care specialist in Norwich, has treated a boy born at 24 weeks after three failed abortion attempts. The mother decided to keep the child, who is now two years old but is suffering what doctors call "significant ongoing medical problems."

The woman who tried to kill him is now allowed to keep him... that makes a lot of sense to me. Don't they put moms in jail for attempted murder, and doesn't a horde of social workers descend upon her to remove ALL her children from her care? Anyway, if a doctor performs a late-term abortion, botches it to the point that the baby lives through the procedure, then dies because it wasn't given adequate care, and the doctor gets charged with murder... then why wasn't this mom charged with attempted murder, and why wasn't this little boy removed from her custody? I know, I know... but please, people, can we not just either take responsibility for what we do OR remove all responsibility completely? Either it's okay to kill a baby or it isn't. Make your "choice" folks, since it's all about choice for you. You can twist and bend and contort the law just so far before it becomes completely contradictory and ridiculous.

The issue will be highlighted by Gianna Jessen, 28, who survived an attempt to abort her. She is to speak at a parliamentary meeting on December 6 organised by the Alive and Kicking campaign, which is lobbying for a reduction of the abortion limit to 18 weeks.

Jessen, a musician from Nashville, Tennessee, was left with cerebral palsy but is to run in the London marathon next April to raise funds for fellow sufferers.

"If abortion is about women's rights, then what were my rights?" she asked.

"If people are going to talk about abortion, then it's important for them to know that these are babies that can be born alive and survive."