24/09/2024
SA's 'World-First' Bill: A New Approach to Late-Term Pregnancy Abortion.
A landmark bill introduced by Ben Hood MLC of the Liberal Party is set to change the way late-term abortions are handled in South Australia, offering a compassionate alternative that supports both the mother's right to choose and the rights of the unborn child. This proposed legislation doesn't take away a mother's choice but instead ensures that after 27 weeks, healthy babies will be delivered alive and given a chance for adoption, rather than facing termination by stillbirth.
Currently, the process involves a heart-stopping injection administered to healthy/unhealthy unborn babies of 27 weeks and six days (and older. This injection, containing potassium and chloride, is delivered without any pain relief, meaning the unborn child feels the full impact of this procedure. The bill aims to change this, introducing humane options that ensure pain relief or even a natural death, where possible, rather than subjecting the baby to an unnecessarily painful end.
This shift not only addresses the ethical concerns around late-term abortion but also offers a critical solution in a time when fertility rates are at historic lows. By allowing these healthy babies to be delivered alive and placed for adoption, the bill provides a vital opportunity for families who cannot have children to adopt. In doing so, it strikes a balance between respecting a woman's right to make choices about her body and preserving the potential for life, ensuring that no healthy baby is denied a chance at life where adoption is a viable option.
With this 'world-first' bill, Ben Hood MLC and South Australia are leading a compassionate, forward-thinking approach to pregnancy termination, prioritising both the mother's rights and the humane treatment of the unborn child, and offering hope to countless families seeking to adopt.
