40 babies have been born alive after failed abortions
SPUC has questioned the figures surrounding abortion survivors in the United Kingdom, after it has emerged that at least 40 babies were born alive after failed abortion attempts between 2016 and 2018 across three American states.
The new state data has been described as ‘disturbing’ by SPUC Chief Executive, John Smeaton, after it revealed that following failed abortions, 19 babies were born alive in Florida, 11 in Minnesota and 10 in Arizona across a period of three years.
According to Fox News, The US Centres for Disease Control, (CDC), believe that at least 143 babies were born alive after failed abortion attempts in the USA between 2003 and 2014, whilst research compiled by the American Center for Law and Justice, suggests that figure to be much higher, estimating that there have been 362 US abortion survivors between 2001-2010.
Abortion Survivors in the United Kingdom
Whilst there are few official records in the United Kingdom that document born-alive abortion survivors, the recent data emerging from the USA, combined with the surfacing testimonies of abortion-survival in the United Kingdom, leads SPUC to believe that this issue requires more investigation.
In September 2018, the UK witnessed the story of Mohammed Khan, who was intended to be killed at 25 weeks gestation through an abortion which injected him with lethal poison, only to be born alive and die later in the arms of his mother. Similarly, three year old Scottish boy, Jack Harper, was intended to be killed by a vacuum aspiration abortion, yet survived the procedure and was born alive.
One of the most high-profile born-alive survival cases, is that of 42 year old Mellisa Ohden who gave her account at the 2019 UK March for Life. As reported by the BBC, Ms Ohden was burned in the womb by a toxic saline solution for five days, which was intended to kill her. However, Ms Ohden was later born alive and discarded as medical waste, until a nurse heard her cries.
According to The Mirror, a spokesperson for one of the UK’s largest abortion giants, Marie Stopes, has said that: "The chance of a termination failing is very low. In the UK, around 0.02% of women who have had a surgical abortion will require a further procedure."
According to the UK’s most recent abortion statistics, this would point towards an average of 19 failed abortion attempts per year.
We deserve more information
SPUC Chief Executive, John Smeaton, said: "The statistics which are now coming to light across the USA, point towards the disturbing realisation that far more children may be surviving these attacks on their life than previously thought."
Mr Smeaton continued: "If children in the United Kingdom are being born alive after a failed abortion attempt on their life, society deserves more information and the truth."