Babies With Club Feet, Cleft Palates are Aborted Up to the Day of Birth in Britain

Today, a baby with club foot or cleft palate can and is aborted up to the point of birth in England. The law permits an abortion to take place “up to birth” if tests indicate that the child may be disabled when born, while there is a legal limit of 24 weeks for abortions on other grounds.

Why is that the case? Jane Ellison, the public health minister, says the British parliament has not adequately defined the term “serious handicap” in its abortion laws, which has led to a loophole by which babies with very minor disabilities can be aborted after the 24-week legal limit.

Fortunately, Ellison says the government is looking into tightening the abortion guidelines to prevent this, though abortion on non-disabled babies would still continue unabated.

As the London Telegraph reports:

However, she said that the Government is reflecting on the issue and that “we do have some opportunities coming forward… to add clarification through guidelines”.

It comes amid warnings from MPs that the current law on late-term abortions is being applied in a “haphazard fashion” and that the current guidance to doctors is no longer adequate because of medical advances.

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