Norway’s health ministry has ruled that women from abroad who are pregnant with twins may use Norwegian services to abort one of the babies, simply because they so wish.
The procedure was made legal in Norway this February. Now, its health department has ruled that it applies to foreign women as well, raising fears that this will increase ‘abortion tourism’.
Several women from other Scandinavian countries, principally Denmark and Sweden, have already contacted Norwegian hospitals about the procedure, according to the national broadcaster NHK.
'Selective reduction abortion'
In Norway, abortion is legal until the end of the 12th week of pregnancy.
The procedure, euphemistically referred to as ‘selective reduction abortion’, can be done even if the baby is healthy. It is sometimes used for women who are pregnant with two or more babies as a result of IVF treatment.
Two Norwegian political parties, the Christian Democrats and the Centre Party, have called for this type of abortion to be banned outright.
'Exposes second child to danger'
Dr Torunn Janbu, an official at the ministry, told online news website The Local: "We don’t as the Directorate have anything to say about the ethics. We just inform the local health services about how to apply the law."
Aside from the major ethical concerns about aborting one twin, doctors have warned that it carries major health risks, both to the mother, and to the surviving twin.
Dr Birgitte Heiberg Kahrs, a specialist in fetal medicine at St Olav's Hospital in Oslo, said: "We have not found any medical benefit from this.
"On the contrary, it exposes the second child in the womb to danger as the abortion risk increases."
The increasing disregard for human life
Christian Concern’s Chief Executive, Andrea Williams, commented:
"The language that is being used to describe this abhorrent practice dehumanises the child and focuses on pragmatism and convenience. Any loss of human life is a tragedy, and abortion in all its forms is heart-breaking. But this practice illustrates the increasing disregard for the value of human life.
"God’s Word tells us that we are created in His image with design and purpose, individually loved and valued. Yet through this procedure, one precious life is chosen, and the other, or others, discarded. This is not only cruel but raises questions as to how the surviving child will grow up, possibly knowing that they were chosen and their brother or sister was eliminated."
Related Links:
Norway allows foreign women pregnant with twins to have selective abortions (Independent)
Norway to allow foreign women to abort healthy twin (The Local)