The Governor of the American state of Nebraska has signed a bill which bans “dismemberment abortion” calling it a “horrific procedure” which “has no place in a humane civilized society.”
Responding to the Nebraska bill, Michael Robinson, SPUC Director of Communications said: “All abortion is violent and has no place in a so-called civilized society. Abortion snatches away the futures of countless children every day. We must work towards a society which upholds the right to life of every human, regardless of developmental age, location or ability.”
The new Nebraskan law, which was passed on August 13th, has placed a ban on all second trimester abortions which involve the dismemberment of the unborn child. To perform such an abortion in Nebraska is now a felony which can incur a fine of $10,000 or a prison sentence of up to two years.
Nebraska Governor, Pete Ricketts, has said that he views the new law as an “important step” in strengthening a culture of life.
During the signing ceremony, which was attended by Nebraska pro-life leaders, Governor Ricketts said of dismemberment abortion “This brutal procedure has no place in a humane, civilized society.”
Nebraska has now joined 12 other American states which have a ban on second trimester dismemberment abortion. The 12 states are Kansas, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Kentucky, Ohio, North Dakota and Indiana.
What is a dismemberment abortion?
Dismemberment abortions are commonly referred to as D&E (dilation and evacuation) procedures. These abortions are usually performed between 13 to 24 weeks of pregnancy. In the United Kingdom abortion can be performed until the 24th week of pregnancy, and subsequently up until or during birth if the unborn child is suspected of having a foetal anomaly.
SPUC’s Michael Robinson said: “During a dismemberment abortion, an abortionist will use metal dilators to open the pregnant woman’s cervix. Once the cervix has been opened wide enough a transparent suction catheter is inserted and used to suction out the amniotic sac protecting the baby - the suction used is 10 – 20 times more powerful than your average household vacuum cleaner
“The abortionist will then take a sopher clamp to grasp the unborn child’s limbs and rip them from the body. The head is clamped and crushed, and the abortionist removes the broken parts of the baby’s skull. A second trimester unborn baby may well feel pain, whether during this procedure or any prior lethal injection.
“The abortionist then uses a curette to scrap the lining of the uterus to ensure all baby parts are removed. The abortionist must then assemble the body parts on a tray to ensure there is nothing left in the womb.”