Fighting for Survival

A recent study found that roughly 1 in 30 babies aborted for medical reasons are born alive. The procedure typically involves taking a series of tablets which alter the behavior of the womb lining and then trigger contractions and miscarriage. The death of the baby is typically the result of the trauma of premature birth, but in many cases the baby is born alive. Needless to say, there are rarely any heroic efforts involved in keeping the baby, now a fully protected human being by law, alive. In fact, babies past roughly 22 weeks are often given a lethal injection directly into their heart to ensure they are dead before the tablets trigger delivery.

According to the article, doctors are currently treating a three-year-old child that is still alive after "three botched terminations." Because the study was only focused on cases of abortion as the result of disability, the fact that the majority of abortions are for non-medical reasons leads one to wonder just how many babies are surviving these attempts to end their lives.

The article also contains one story I want to share as written:

Thirty years ago, Gianna Jessen's mother had an abortion when seven-and-a-half months pregnant.

The abortion failed and, 18 hours later, Gianna (pictured) was born alive.

She suffered cerebral palsy as a result of the botched abortion, yet has defied doctors' predictions that she would never walk.

In fact she has run a marathon, is an accomplished singer and writer and travels the world to campaign against abortion.

Her mother was 17 when she decided to have the abortion. Weighing 2lbs when she was born, she spent several months in hospital fighting for her life, before being placed in a foster home.

Her cerebral palsy, which was caused by her brain being starved of oxygen during the abortion, was diagnosed at 17 months old. Doctors said she would never be able to crawl or even sit-up unaided, much less stand or walk.

Now, after several operations and years of physiotherapy she has proved them wrong. Gianna does not know why her natural mother chose to abort her.

She said: "If abortion is about women's rights, then what were my rights?

"No decision is solely yours to make. All decisions affect another human being - whether it is for good or for ill.

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