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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Such a sad story in the news - baby mistakenly terminated.

298 replies

Christmascack · 24/11/2011 05:41

www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/royal-womens-hospital-investigates-accidental-termination-of-wrong-twin-in-surgery-error/story-e6frg6nf-1226204303788

OP posts:
saintlyjimjams · 24/11/2011 08:44

Yes that would make sense tab. I think for me a decision to give birth at term would be easier knowing a baby was likely to die, rather than be seriously ill for many years. The problem of course is that that is so hard to predict. I have met children with dire predictions about their hearts made from scans in pregnancy who have been born, needed a couple of ops that were not as major as suggested during pregnancy and then been absolutely fine. Of course there will be others without that outcome.

The other possibility I guess is that an in utero death might have been damaging for the other twin. But that's all guess work. People have the choice with disability to terminate to term and I don't suppose the presence of another baby affects that (indeed would make it harder to deal with a seriously ill child).

YULEingFanjo · 24/11/2011 08:45

What a horrible situation for the parents, and to have their loss dragged into abortion debate too. So sad. I hope they are getting the love and support they need rather than judgement.

valiumredhead · 24/11/2011 08:48

I don't like the way they all refer to a "fetus". For me a 32 weeker is a baby. I am prochoice but struggle with this one

Me too and am very pro choice also but I remember ds and can't get my head round it at all. Makes me very uncomfortable.

The poor parents Sad

HarryHillatemygoldfish · 24/11/2011 08:49

It is horrible, but it was their choice that they now have to live with.

And let's not forget that two innocent lives have been destroyed.

HarryHillatemygoldfish · 24/11/2011 08:50

I wonder why it was left so incredibly late?

Trills · 24/11/2011 08:51

It's a horrible situation but I can absolutely understand why someone would choose to terminate rather than have a baby who would be extremely ill and possibly take months or years to die.

It is much easier (and possibly more legal, I'm not sure what the rules are) to terminate than to withhold treatment from a baby that has been born.

saintlyjimjams · 24/11/2011 08:52

True about choice HarryHill - I just hope they were given good and realistic counselling beforehand, so it really was their choice iykwim. It often seems non-existent here with the assumption that if you've had invasive testing you will just terminate if anything is found. I do know people who have come under a lot of pressure once something has been picked up.

Trills · 24/11/2011 08:53

For me a 32 weeker is a baby.

People say foetus because that is the correct word. It's not technically a baby until it is born. So you can have a foetus (40 weeks, still inside) that is "older" in terms of development than a baby who was born prematurely.

YULEingFanjo · 24/11/2011 08:56

How did this story make it into the press? How awful for the parents.

Staverton · 24/11/2011 08:57

Some heart defects are incompatible with life, not all can be operated on

I don't know the full details and therefore dont want to judge. I wonder if the other twin was at risk

belgo · 24/11/2011 09:00

'How did this story make it into the press? How awful for the parents.'

I think it is incredibly important that this story has made it into the press so that we know what is happening inside of our supposedly moral, westernised hospitals.

Yes some heart defects are incompatible with life but I worry about the accuracy of scans if even three scans doesn't stop a healthy baby being aborted.

HarryHillatemygoldfish · 24/11/2011 09:02

It's vital stories like this are publicised.

The enormity and horror of very, very late abortions and what happens when they go wrong needs to be in the public domain. It is not a private issue, two babies have been destroyed.

saffronwblue · 24/11/2011 09:03

The parents released a statement read on the news tonight that they are very distressed that it has been made public.

HarryHillatemygoldfish · 24/11/2011 09:04

I would argue that at 32 weeks, no one has the right to destroy a life. if you require a termination, you have one a long time before. Otherwise, you accept and deal with the life you have created.

HarryHillatemygoldfish · 24/11/2011 09:04

saffron and I am glad it has.

HarryHillatemygoldfish · 24/11/2011 09:05

I think believing that the extremely late termination of two lives should be a private matter is very worrying indeed.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 24/11/2011 09:09

i wish people would just put "sad story about baby" in title so I could decide whether to read the thread instead of reading such a disturbing title

HarryHillatemygoldfish · 24/11/2011 09:11

But you did read the thread despite the title being so disturbing Hmm

valiumredhead · 24/11/2011 09:14

By putting the wore termination in the title of the thread, it's giving people fair warning what the thread is about imo. If the OP had called the thread 'sad story about a baby' there would've been complaints that enough info wasn't given and people had read the thread not knowing what it was about.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 24/11/2011 09:14

no..even "sad termination story"..but there it was right there, the facts, in the title

valiumredhead · 24/11/2011 09:16

Why don't you hide the thread?

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 24/11/2011 09:17

you aren't getting the point. once its read it is read, some things I would rather not read.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 24/11/2011 09:18

Harry - well there couldnt be much else in the thread more disturbing than the title, so I opened it to voice my concerns.

Wow you lot are quick to get stuck in aren't you?

I'm sure others weren't thrilled to read that first thing in morning either.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 24/11/2011 09:18

There is also a section for sensitive subjects I believe.

BananaChoc · 24/11/2011 09:19

The thread title is accurately describing the topic and gives fair warning of the content and discussion.

I would rather read a factual title.

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