Abortion mistake
A healthy 32-week-old foetus was aborted ‘by mistake’ in a tragic mix up at an Australian hospital.
According to the Herald Sun newspaper, the mother, who was expecting twin boys, was told by doctors that one of the babies had a serious congenital heart defect. She decided to have him aborted, despite the child being only a few weeks away from birth.
However, surgeons accidentally terminated the healthy twin and, after an emergency Caesarean section operation, the sick twin also died.
Her decision to abort the unhealthy baby resulted in the scandalous death of two babies, who were, it seems, weeks over the legal limit for when abortions can take place — usually between 18 and 24 weeks, depending on the country of residence.
According to the Herald Sun, the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne would not confirm details, but said in a statement that ‘a distressing clinical accident’ occurred.
It said, ‘This is a terrible tragedy and the hospital is deeply sorry for the loss suffered by the patient and her family. We are conducting a full investigation and continue to offer the family and affected staff every support’.
It is understood the woman’s husband, a nurse, a doctor and the ultrasound clinician, who was apparently inconsolable because of the mistake, were in the operating room at the time of the procedure. The family is said to be considering legal action.
