Termination of Pregnancy for Foetal abnormality
Some parents will be faced with the hardest choice they will ever have to make, after an ultrasound or test show a serious problem with the baby. In some situations the baby has little or no chance of surviving birth, the baby may be diagnosed as not compatible with life or if they survive they will have very poor quality of life. The parents of these babies must make the choice to continue with their pregnancy and let nature take its course until the baby passes away or to interrupt their pregnancy and have labour induced. Choosing to interrupt the pregnancy to induce labour is a heartbreaking choice. A lot of people can not understand that parents who choose to end their pregnancy do it out of love for the child, and often make the mistake of saying that the parents couldn't have loved their baby if they chose to let their baby go. Whatever decision is reached, it is made with love for the baby and it is the right decision for the parents, the baby and the immediate family.
Parents have found the information below very helpful specifically when experiecing a Termination of Pregnancy for Foetal abnormality
- Do not be afraid to ask for a second opinion- it is your child and you need to know everything you can to make the right choice for you and your family
- Ask if there are any fetal abnormality support groups/resources etc. SAFDA( support after fetal diagnosis of abnormality) deal specifically with genetic inducement.
- Please don't be pressured into either decision about delivery of your baby do what feels right for you. This is a very individual choice
- Ask for an honest explanation of what to expect with the medical procedure or delivery of your baby
- Ask what your baby may look like.
- Tell someone if you are feeling pressured
- Take your time making your decision on what you want to do. It is a difficult decision and you need to make sure it is what is best for you your baby/babies and your family.
- Know that you may if you want to hold a funeral burial or cremation service for your baby
- Ask that the birth certificate regulations regarding your baby/babies birth is explained to you*
- Most importantly don't feel guilty for making the choice to induce your labour. You love your baby and you made this decision so that your baby didn't have to suffer anymore.
Some things to ask yourself
- Do I want to name my baby?
- Do I want to see or hold my baby? Choosing to see or hold your baby or not, is a very personal choice
- Do I want to have a funeral service for my baby?
*Currently legislation in South Australia does not allow for parents to receive birth certificates for baby's that are stillborn (over 20 weeks gestation or 400gms) from a genetic termination of pregnancy. If the baby is born alive, then passes away shortly after the baby is then entitled to a certificate. Please contact Births, deaths and marriages for further information.
Here at TLC we strongly believe all babies should be entitled to a birth certificate, if you feel strongly about this too please contact jaylee@teddyloveclub.org.au
Genetic Inducement/Termination of labour Statistics
more information can be found at the National Perinatal Statistics Outcome Unit
Jaylee has experienced genetic inducement of labour / stillbirth and is a trained parent support worker.
Jaylee can be contacted direct at Mobile: 0411 225 342 or jaylee@teddyloveclub.org.au
A fight for Birth Certificates in SA
Looking to the Future…
In sharing my story ( Please go to parents stories page) I also seek your support as one piece of Aaron’s brief time with us remains unresolved and I would like to see a change for the future for anyone else walking a similar heartbreaking path in South Australia.
When Aaron was born every memento we could collect became very precious to us. Tangible evidence of a life that was real but as yet unknown to anyone but us. I carried his photo around in my bag for weeks in the vain hope that I might have the opportunity to show someone! We were also very pleased to read in the literature given to us in hospital that Aaron’s birth would need to be registered because he was over 20 weeks gestation. We would have another precious memory in the form of a certificate and we would be able to formally recognise our son as a part of our family. When we went in search of the necessary paperwork to do this we were very shocked to discover we were excluded from registration because his birth had been induced. With a little more research I was even more saddened to learn that South Australia is the only state or territory in this whole country which discriminates against termination of pregnancy. Had Aaron been born anywhere else in Australia we would have been legally obliged to register the birth.
In Australia a birth after 20 weeks gestation (or weighing at least 400g.) is classified as a still birth and must be registered. However in South Australia only there is a little extra in the definition of a still birth – our legislation states that a still born child “does not include the product of a procedure for the termination of pregnancy.” (Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1996, Part 1 Preliminary)
This all changes if your baby draws a breath and then a death certificate is issued and the birth must be registered. How confusing!! I have written to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages to learn why South Australia alone has this definition and have been told that our 11 year old legislation was put in place by a perceived need to protect bereaved parents from more forms and more pain in having to register a birth following a termination. I can fully respect that some parents may indeed not want to register the birth and so I would desperately like to see our legislation change to allow us a choice. I did not make my heartbreaking decision easily and I feel very saddened that Aaron’s birth continues to legally be some kind of ‘secret’. We will always include and honour Aaron within our own family and a piece of paper will not change that but if the rest of Australia is required to register an induced birth then surely South Australia can at least allow a choice.
Sadly the Registrar has received very little correspondence on this issue and there has been no consultation with South Australian support groups on whether there is a need to change this legislation.
If you believe that it is time for South Australia to move in line with the rest of Australia or to at least allow a choice in registering terminated babies then I urge you to join me in writing to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages or the Attorney-General. A few other bereaved parents have been approaching Members of Parliament to try and take this issue to parliament but at this stage the Attorney-General holds power to change this without parliamentary debate.
If you would like to know more or would like a sample letter that you could sign and forward then please email me at julzandtim@hotmail.com
If we unite in this then we may be taken seriously. Making a decision to terminate is so often misunderstood by the wider community who have not walked in our shoes and it is sad that this legislation also serves to discriminate.
For all future parents in our position please consider sending a letter.
You can write directly to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages:
Val Edyvean
GPO Box 1351
Adelaide SA 5001
Or the Attorney-General:
Hon Michael Atkinson
Office of Parliamentary Counsel
GPO Box 464
Adelaide SA 5001
You can also contact us for further information regarding this important topic.
If your birth occurred pre-20weeks you may like to look at this website: www.kadenredriff.memory-of.com
Fiona Peters is working in the Northern Territory to change legislation allow a choice for registering a birth pre-20 weeks. This is an Australian first and she is coming up against many hurdles in even reaching parliamentary debate.
Julie
