A former abortionist who is now the president elect of the American Association of Obstetricians of Gynecologists has written questioning whether late term abortion is ever necessary. Dr. Davenport states, " intentional abortion for maternal health particularly after viability is one of the great deceptions used to justify all abortions. The very fact that the baby of an ill mother is viable raises the question of why, indeed, it is necessary to perform an abortion to end the pregnancy. With any serious maternal health problem, termination of pregnancy can be accomplished by inducing labor or performing a caesarian section, saving both mother and baby."
She further points out that fetal problems, "are the other serious rational for reconsidering abortion. Despite advances in ultrasound diagnosis, these diagnoses are not always accurate and cases have occurred where women have declined to abort their sick child only for the child to be born perfectly healthy."
Even in the most serious circumstances of fatal fetal abnormalities Dr. Davenport says, "there is no good reason to abort the child. As an alternative for abortion for fatal fetal birth defects perinatal hospice, which involves continuing the pregnancy until labor begins and giving birth normally in a setting of comfort and support until the natural death of the child occurs, is the option."
In our earlier blog, we asked for recommendations for members to serve on the new bioethics council for the President, I nominate Dr. Davenport.
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