Doctors in England predicted an unborn baby with a heart condition would be stillborn, and twice recommended abortion, yet the child has been born and is now 10 months old. Hypoplastic aortic arch was diagnosed at four months' gestation. Gaynor and Lee Purdy, the boy's parents, switched hospitals during the pregnancy and never considered abortion. The blockage of Kai Purdy's aortic artery seems to have cured itself since birth. Edwards syndrome was also diagnosed in utero but he does not have it. [Daily Mail, 1 January]

The Pope's new year message, already reported on by the media, includes: "Poverty is often considered a consequence of demographic change. For this reason, there are international campaigns afoot to reduce birth-rates, sometimes using methods that respect neither the dignity of the woman, nor the right of parents to choose responsibly how many children to have; graver still, these methods often fail to respect even the right to life. The extermination of millions of unborn children, in the name of the fight against poverty, actually constitutes the destruction of the poorest of all human beings." [Vatican on EWTN, 1 January]

A rule which allows US medical staff and institutions to opt out of unethical procedures comes into effect in under three weeks' time, and LifeNews speculates on how it might be promptly overturned. Two senators and two members of the House of Representatives have proposed laws to stop it from being implemented. The rule might alternatively be voided in a piece of legislation which also covered other issues. There is also a law allowing the congress to reject an outgoing administration's measures. Mr Tom Daschle, the incoming health secretary, could otherwise issue regulations which rescind President Bush's rule. Pro-life activists could try to get a court to rule the new administration's actions unconstitutional, and persuade states to introduce protection for health workers' consciences. [LifeNews, 1 January]