Babies who survive late term abortions left to die alone

In an impassioned plea to the Council of Europe, the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) has highlighted the plight of babies who survive late term abortions.

In an impassioned plea to the Council of Europe, the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) has highlighted the plight of babies who survive late term abortions. Nearly 190,000 people have signed a petition led by the ECLJ and other NGOs to end neonatal infanticide in Europe.

When attempted abortions fail, babies are sometimes left struggling to breathe or injured by the abortion procedure. Medical workers often allow these ‘unwanted’ children die alone. At other times, they give the babies a lethal injection or suffocate them. The bodies are then disposed of with the organic waste.

Meanwhile, premature infants who are wanted by their parents often have access to specialised intensive care at the same hospitals where this type of infanticide occurs.

A study published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology reported that 10% of babies survive abortions at 23 weeks. At present, countries are violating the rights of these children, which are protected in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Commissioner for Human Rights and others are, however, reluctant to condemn the current treatment of children who survive botched abortions. They recognise that criticising neonatal infanticide comes close to condemning late term abortions, since these children are clearly viable outside of the womb.

Andrea Williams, Chief Executive for Christian Concern, comments: “Every child deserves to live because it is a human being, and therefore a life that is created by and precious to God.”