Being Born Prematurely Should Not Be A Death Sentence

This rather long piece addresses the pros and cons of surviving neonates who are born at about 23-24 weeks. We all understand the pitfalls of such early births, but there are parts of this article that clearly show that there are those in the medical professions who would rather not bother with letting these kids live. On the other hand are parents who understand more than the so-called professionals that a medical disability shouldn’t have to be a death sentence.

Two new pieces of research raise a profoundly troubling question: Is it sometimes wrong to keep premature babies alive?

When Hayley Franklin reached what she thought was the halfway point of her longed-for pregnancy, she had no idea of the horrifying decision she and her husband, Jez, would have to make barely two weeks later.

As she lay in a hospital bed, reeling from the news that her baby was almost certain to arrive dangerously early, her consultant offered two stark options: 'You can have a termination or I can try to turn a non-surviving foetus into a severely disabled child, by holding off your labour until the baby has a chance of survival. The choice is yours.'

Death or disability. No one would choose either for their child. But for parents of any baby born at 24 weeks or earlier, these are often the options. more