Monday, June 30, 2008

1987: Baby dies after birth from abortion injuries

Sometimes an initially unwanted baby turns out not to be so unwanted after all. Failure to tell a young mother this prior to proceeding with an abortion led to heartache and anguish.

An underage girl, April S., went to Margaret Sanger Center for laminaria insertion on February 2, 1987, in preparation for an abortion to be performed the following day by Dr. Norman Matthews. Matthews performed a vaccum aspiration abortion procedure February 3.

There were no fetal parts found in the examination of the tissue removed during the abortion, but nobody at Margaret Sanger Center told April that. She was sent home.

Three months later, on May 7, another doctor examined April and noted that she was still pregnant, 22.5 weeks along. April "decided to keep the child due to the emotional trauma experienced by the first abortion procedure and the numerous additional risks to a late stage abortion."

Thus began a time of great anxiety for April. Ultrasounds performed between May 7 and June 29 showed decreasing amniotic fluid. It was on June 29 that April went into premature labor and underwent a c-section. Due to the low levels of amniotic fluid, the baby was born with chorioamnionitis, hypoplastic lungs, and Hyline Membrane Disease. The baby died the following day. (Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Case No. A-8905595)

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