Baby Scarred But Alive After Partial-Birth Abortion Attempt

The partial-birth abortion debate intensified with the report that a baby has been born in Arizona after a doctor began a partial-birth abortion procedure before discovering that the baby was much larger than he anticipated. Supposedly, an ultrasound at the facility determined that the baby was 23.6 weeks old. During the abortion, however, abortionist John Biskind realized the pregnancy was in its 37th week, halted the abortion and delivered the infant, according to police. Arizona law does not permit abortion after the 24th week of gestation.

The Arizona legislature passed a partial-birth abortion ban in 1997 but a federal judge enjoined it.

The 6-pound, 2-ounce girl suffered a skull fracture and two deep facial lacerations but apparently no brain damage. She is currently hospitalized. The child will be adopted by a Texas couple.

Press reports have focused on the error in judging the baby's gestational age. However, NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson commented, "To focus on the abortionist's error in calculating the baby's age completely misses the point. The real issue is not the miscalculation, but the violence of the partial-birth abortion that was originally intended. A baby delivered prematurely between 23 and 24 weeks -- the original calculated age -- would have a one-in-three chance of survival in a neonatal unit if delivered normally, and certainly would feel excruciating pain during the partial-birth abortion."

Published in VSHL Lifesaver - August 1998