Unborn babies with disabilities will not have the same protection from painful, late-term abortion as babies without life-limiting conditions should a bill introduced by Sen. Merv Riepe become law. Dubbed a ‘clean-up bill’ by the sponsor, the legislation allows babies who are believed to have a fetal anomaly to have their lives ended by abortion after the point they can suck their thumb, respond to noises and touch, and feel pain.
The unborn babies targeted by the bill would include those with diagnoses of trisomy 13 and trisomy 18, conditions which have a greater rate of survival after birth when babies are given the proper care. According to a study done in Japan, babies with T18 received appropriate care and surgical interventions, 81.5% survived until discharge and the percentage of babies living until at least their first birthday increased from 34.5% to 59.3%. In the U.S., babies with T13 or T18 who received surgery to treat heart problems had a median survival of 15 or 16 years.
The Nebraska Pro-Life Coalition is urging senators who serve on the Judiciary Committee to oppose LB 1109 on Thursday afternoon when the bill is scheduled for a hearing. On behalf of the coalition, Nebraska Right to Life Executive Director Sandy Danek said:
“Discrimination of those with disabilities has no place in Nebraska. Whether born or not yet born, we should celebrate people with different abilities and fiercely guard against any attempt to strip away their right to live and ability to receive proper medical care. We urge senators to vote against this ableist legislation to protect the most vulnerable among us.”
Adam Schwend, western regional director for SBA Pro-Life America, said:
“The sad truth is that many babies who have a diagnosis of trisomy 18 or another condition don’t die from their condition, but from abortion. Up to 60% of trisomy 18 babies are aborted in the U.S. The survival rate of this condition is much, much higher when babies receive adequate medical care – up to 81.5% until discharge according to one study. There are hundreds – if not thousands – of babies, children and adults living with trisomy 18 and they are as worthy of life as any other person on this planet.”
In contrast to Nebraska’s law that protects babies at 12 weeks, LB 1109 allows abortion of those who have been diagnosed with a fetal anomaly up until 22 weeks’ gestation. According to the New York Times, fetal anomaly diagnoses for some conditions like trisomy 13 are often wrong.
If a baby is can be murdered up until 22 weeks, but is not allowed to be murdered after 22 weeks, who is it that gets to play God and make that decision? God DOES NOT play games and He DOES makes the rules. And the blessings of following His rules is more than one can fathom.