❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding abortion practices, including gestational age, live births, reasons for late-term abortions, approved facilities, and feticide methods. The answer provides specific data and clarifies legal requirements.
AnsweredQoN 5959Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) What is the earliest gestation at which a baby was born alive and subsequently released from hospital alive in Western Australia? (2) How many medical abortions resulting in the birth of a live child were recorded for the combined years of 2010 to 2015 inclusive? (3) How many medical abortions were performed at post 20 weeks gestation with the reason being "Trisomy 21" for the combined years of 2013, 2014, 2015? (4) How many approved facilities for medical abortions of any gestation operate in Western Australia? (5) How is feticide performed for those cases where there is an expectation that the unborn baby would survive if it were to be delivered?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
17 November 2016
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
30 days
(1) 22 weeks.
(2) 12.
(3) Five abortions at gestation of at least 20 weeks were performed with at least one reason being “Trisomy 21”.
(4) One facility is approved by the Minister for Health as required by the Health Act 1911 for abortions at gestations of at least 20 weeks.
For all abortions Section 199 (1) of the Criminal Code only has requirements on the medical practitioner performing the abortion and no requirements for approval of facilities. There is no general provision within a hospital’s licence that states abortions can or cannot be performed.
(5) Feticide is performed under conscious maternal sedation using ultrasound guided injection of potassium chloride or lignocaine into the fetal circulation causing cessation of fetal cardiac activity.
(2) 12.
(3) Five abortions at gestation of at least 20 weeks were performed with at least one reason being “Trisomy 21”.
(4) One facility is approved by the Minister for Health as required by the Health Act 1911 for abortions at gestations of at least 20 weeks.
For all abortions Section 199 (1) of the Criminal Code only has requirements on the medical practitioner performing the abortion and no requirements for approval of facilities. There is no general provision within a hospital’s licence that states abortions can or cannot be performed.
(5) Feticide is performed under conscious maternal sedation using ultrasound guided injection of potassium chloride or lignocaine into the fetal circulation causing cessation of fetal cardiac activity.
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