Despite the fact that the unborn child has a fatal defect, doctors’ interpretation of state legislation forbids the couple from terminating the pregnancy.
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After the US Supreme Court’s decision to end abortion rights in the nation last year, a couple in Florida is preparing to say goodbye to their unborn child after the baby is delivered in a few weeks. Due to the new Florida law, which prohibits termination of fetal after 15 weeks unless in rare cases, the terrible situation has arisen. Deborah Dorbert has now joined the ranks of a number of other women who are having trouble obtaining the required abortion treatments since the Supreme Court reversed the rights that had previously been granted by the seminal Roe v. Wade decision from 1973.
The physicians notified Dorbert and her husband Lee Dorbert, who are expecting their second child, that the baby has a deadly foetal defect, also known as Potter syndrome. The couple claimed that, according to their understanding of a Florida law that went into effect after Roe v. Wade was rejected by the Supreme Court, the doctors cannot conduct an abortion.
Potter Syndrome
Kidney failure is the main issue in Potter syndrome. When the infant develops inside the womb, the kidneys fail to function normally. Amniotic fluid is often produced by the kidneys (as urine). When there is no amniotic fluid, a newborn has a typical face look known as the “Potter phenotype.”
Doubly Lethal Diagnosis, cause of Abortion
Because infants with damaged kidneys are unable to eliminate dangerous chemicals from their systems, which can lead to renal failure, doctors refer to this condition as a “doubly lethal diagnosis.” A baby is also born without the ability to breathe due to a womb’s lack of amniotic fluid.
A maternal-fetal medicine specialist informed Dorberts that parents in this circumstance frequently decide to terminate the pregnancy through preterm labour or surgery after the couple’s unborn child was given the syndrome diagnosis in November.
The physician had stated that he will speak with the administrators of the healthcare system about the situation and seek their advice on the new law.
In the end, the couple chose to abort the baby as soon as possible because infants with this syndrome frequently pass away before birth or succumb to asphyxia just hours or minutes after delivery.
Deborah Dorbert reported that the doctor had told her that while pregnancy termination may be an option, it should only be done between 28 and 32 weeks. The physician said that the couple would need to wait until the 37th week of gestation, or practically a full term, to end the pregnancy after speaking with the administrators of the health system.
The couple’s travel to places with lower abortion laws was suggested by the doctor, but Dorberts said they can’t afford the charges and have only seldom left their state.