Babies Born At 22 Weeks Will Be Resuscitated Whilst Politicians Impose Abortion up to 28 Weeks on Northern Ireland

In the same week a radical late-term abortion regime has been forced on Northern Ireland, new viability guidelines published by the British Association of Perinatal Medicine have called on doctors to resuscitate premature babies born at 22 weeks. The review has found that medical advances have increased the survival rate for babies born premature, and in new guidelines published today, doctors in Britain have been told to change their practise and resuscitate babies born as early as 22 weeks.

Following the imposition of a barbaric, cruel and extreme abortion law on Northern Ireland which has legalised abortion up to 28 weeks (7 months), Precious Life has highlighted the blinding contradiction between these two decisions.

Precious Life founder and spokesperson Bernadette Smyth said, 

"Doctors have today been told to save the lives of tiny premature babies born at 22 weeks, whilst babies older than this can be killed in brutal abortions up to 28 weeks for any or no reason, and most likely up to birth if they have any disability. This is a heart-breaking situation, which exposes a horrifying contradiction.

“We are facing a situation where babies in one part of a hospital are being cared for and every effort is being made to keep them alive, whilst babies at the same gestational age are being torn apart, literally limb from limb, in late term abortions. While we strongly welcome the publication of these new guidelines, today's news has exposed a startling and heart-breaking contradiction in our Health Service, and this contradiction must be called out.

"It is a cruel paradox that in the same week that British politicians at Westminster imposed a late-term, unrestrictive abortion regime on Northern Ireland, medical bodies in Britain have put forward these new guidelines to highlight the growing scientific advancement which affirms the humanity of unborn babies." 

The report comes as evidence has found that a baby born at 23 weeks old has a 50% chance of surviving, whilst babies born at 24 weeks have a 60% survival rate. Advancements in medical care have transformed the survival prospects for premature babies. Evidence now affirms that 35% of babies born four months premature at 22 weeks old now survive if treated. It was revealed this week that in the past 10 years, survival rates for premature babies have doubled. In 2008, a baby born at 23 weeks – four months early – would have just a two in 10 chance of surviving. That figure is now four in 10.

 






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