❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding instances of live births following abortion procedures in Western Australia since the enactment of the Acts Amendment (Abortion) Act 1998. The response details the number of reported instances, lack of treatment or resuscitation, and reasons for not providing further details due to expert medical judgement and lack of statutory requirements.
AnsweredQoN 2946Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the answer to question on notice No. 3211, dated 15 February 2011, and I ask: (a) since the enactment of the Acts Amendment (Abortion) Act 1998 , how many instances have been reported of an abortion procedure in Western Australia resulting in the birth of a live child; (b) was treatment reported as being performed in any of the incidences; (c) was resuscitation reported as being performed in any of the incidences; (d) if no to either (b) or (c), why not; (e) further to (a), how many of the instances related to an abortion induced at 20 weeks gestation or later; and (f) further to (e), how many of those children born alive were confirmed as having the serious medical condition which had been suspected and led to the approval of the ministerial panel of the late-term abortion?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
13 May 2015
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Health
Response time
48 days
(a) A total of 20 instances of abortion procedures resulting in the live birth of a child have been reported between July 1999 and December 2014.
(b) No treatment was reported as being performed in any of the 20 instances.
(c) No resuscitation was reported as being performed in any of the 20 instances.
(d) The answer to this question involves matters of expert medical judgement. It is not appropriate to respond to a question which requires an expression of opinion.
(e) Out of the 20 instances reported in (a), there were 14 instances related to an abortion induced at 20 weeks gestation or later.
(f) There is no statutory requirement that, in the event of a child being born alive following agreement by two medical practitioner members of a Ministerial Panel under section 334(7) of the
Health Act 1911
that in their clinical judgement the unborn child had a severe medical condition that justified the child's abortion, there be confirmation, written or otherwise, that the child had suffered from the condition diagnosed. Whether a particular child had in fact suffered from the serious medical condition and whether that condition justified that child's abortion involve matters of expert judgment which can be arrived at only following review of relevant medical and autopsy records and, as appropriate, discussion with the medical personnel who were involved in the procedure. It is not appropriate to respond to a question which requires an expression of opinion.
(b) No treatment was reported as being performed in any of the 20 instances.
(c) No resuscitation was reported as being performed in any of the 20 instances.
(d) The answer to this question involves matters of expert medical judgement. It is not appropriate to respond to a question which requires an expression of opinion.
(e) Out of the 20 instances reported in (a), there were 14 instances related to an abortion induced at 20 weeks gestation or later.
(f) There is no statutory requirement that, in the event of a child being born alive following agreement by two medical practitioner members of a Ministerial Panel under section 334(7) of the
Health Act 1911
that in their clinical judgement the unborn child had a severe medical condition that justified the child's abortion, there be confirmation, written or otherwise, that the child had suffered from the condition diagnosed. Whether a particular child had in fact suffered from the serious medical condition and whether that condition justified that child's abortion involve matters of expert judgment which can be arrived at only following review of relevant medical and autopsy records and, as appropriate, discussion with the medical personnel who were involved in the procedure. It is not appropriate to respond to a question which requires an expression of opinion.
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