Doctors Are Warned on Fetus Care, Wash Post 4/23 [View All]

[rumpel]

Guidelines Are Issued on Born-Alive Infants Protection Act
By Ceci Connolly
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, April 23, 2005; Page A07


The Bush administration issued guidelines yesterday advising physicians and hospitals that under a 2002 law they are obligated to care for fetuses "born alive" naturally or in the process of an abortion, and medical providers could face penalties for withholding treatment.

The law, signed by President Bush nearly three years ago, conferred legal rights on fetuses "at any stage of development." It specifies that a fetus that is breathing, has a beating heart, a pulsating umbilical cord or muscle movement should be considered alive and entitled to protection under federal emergency medical laws and child abuse statutes.

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In a telephone briefing with reporters, Smith refused to elaborate on the definition of "alive" or to describe specific cases in which doctors would be legally required to treat a "baby," in his words.

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"I don't see this as a big issue; physicians are going to do what's appropriate," said Grimes, who now practices in North Carolina. "It's all rhetoric from persons with political views they want to advance."

He said the act's definition of alive is "silly," given that it implies a fetus miscarried at 14 or 16 weeks "with no chance of survival" would be legally identified as a living person. Most medical experts agree that a fetus delivered before 23 weeks has little chance of survival, he said.


full article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10411-2005Apr22.html