The London Times published a series of articles beginning June 20 examing the state of abortion in the United Kingdom. Among the findings was that in a number of cases, babies born alive from abortions had been left to die unattended. A midwife who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed that in the hospital where she practiced, there was an unwritten policy that babies who survived abortions were not to be cared for. The newspaper reported about one baby that lived with nourishment but without medical care for 3 days before finally dying after the child survived the mother's abortion.

In Great Britain, abortion for any reason is legal through the 24th week of gestation, but abortions can also be obtained after 24 weeks in cases of "hanidcaps." Because "handicaps" is not defined in the law, it is up to the discretion of the medical team if the case qualifies. This has resulted in what some people say is several dozens of babies being aborted with minor handicaps that are clearly not life-threatening, such as a cleft palate or club foot.

The June 27 Times article reported on a baby who was scheduled to be aborted at 25 weeks gestation but who was born prematurely only hours before the scheduled surgery. The baby was completely healthy although premature. That child survived since the child was born rather than surviving an abortion procedure.

Shortly after the stories were published, the British Medical Association held its annual conference and approved by 65.3% of the voting doctors a resolution calling for babies surviving abortions to be given "the same full neonatal care as that available to other babies."

David Steel, who introduced to the House of Commons the bill that became Britain's 1967 abortion law has now proposed modifying the law. In an opinion piece in the July 6 Guardian newspaper, Steel explained that the law originally set no limits to abortions until the 28th week of gestation, but that it was revised to the beginning of the 25th week in 1990 because of advances in medical technology, testing, and treatment. Steel still insists that abortion remain legal, but he is urging that first trimester abortions be more easily accessible and their availability more publicized, that abortions after 12 weeks should remain legal but discouraged, and that serious consideration should be given to restricting abortions to handicaps after only 22 weeks instead of the current 24 weeks.

For the full story: Babies Left to Die: Debate over Abortion Is Rekindled in Britain.