Exactly what is partial-birth abortion?

As horrendous as partial-birth abortion sounds, it seems important for us to understand what it is--especially because it has been declared unconstitutional by three circuit courts, and the Bush administration has appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has decided to hear the appeal by the Bush administration and will likely do so this Fall.

Dr. Eyer in his book Holy People, Holy Lives writes: To abort a child is to cause its death before birth. Infanticide is the killing of a child after it is born. In the debate over partial-birth abortion, it has become difficult to distinguish between abortion and infanticide. In partial-birth abortion, a third trimester living child is partially delivered through induced labor, feet first. While the legs, arms, and body of the child are drawn out, the head is permitted to merge only partially. With face turned down the head is held partially inside the birth canal while an incision is made at the back of the head and the brain is suctioned out, ending the life of the child. If the child had been permitted to emerge completely, the act would be indictable as an intentional homicide.

Page updated 2/14/2008 by Jerry Tangren, East Wenatchee, WA