Debunking myths about state’s new abortion law
Aryana Vasquez was supposed to die. Her mother, Chalice Zeitner, faked having cancer to have taxpayers foot the bill for her late-term abortion. Aryana was just over 22 weeks along when she beat the odds and survived her planned demise.
Had Senate Bill 1367 been in place at the time, Aryana might be alive today. Instead, she lived an hour and 18 minutes on her own before finally passing. Imagine if doctors treated her as any other premature baby, with all of the medical advancements available to them?
Aryana had an Apgar score of 4 when she was born — clearly not hopeless, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. But no one tried to save her, no one tried to help her breathe, give her oxygen or make any other attempt to save her life. The mother and staff watched as the Apgar score slowly dropped and tiny Aryana struggled for her breath, slowly slipping away over an hour and 18 minutes.
Ironically, the law at the time and still the law today calls for all efforts to be made to save the life of a baby born alive during an abortion attempt, but it apparently lacks clarity and the teeth for enforcement.
SB 1367 fixes that. It spells out what doctors are to do in these situations and directs the state Department of Human Services to flesh out the details.
And contrary to widely reported claims, the bill does not call for herculean efforts to be made. The baby isn’t to be snatched away from mother, intubated or chest thumped, leaving all in the room traumatized.
The bill says emergency services are to be called immediately, and someone trained in neonatal resuscitation is to be present. They are to assess the baby’s respiration and heart rate, clear secretions, position the airway, keep the baby dry and warm, and provide oxygen as needed. Does that sound “tortuous” to anyone? Or “punishing?”
Yet that’s how those opposing SB 1367 have described it.
They’ve also gotten other important aspects of the bill wrong.
It does not apply to all births. SB 1367 applies only to situations where a baby is born alive during an abortion attempt. Abortion as defined in ARS 36-2151 applies to procedures intended to terminate a pregnancy. This includes pregnancies intentionally terminated due to fetal anomalies. It does not apply to spontaneous miscarriages or induced full-term pregnancies.
The point is to give babies born alive during an abortion attempt every chance at life.
For those who question the viability of babies born at 20-plus weeks, consider Amillia Taylor, born at 22 weeks. The last report from her mom in 2013 said, “She runs, she plays and does things she’s not supposed to do.” Willow Noland, born also at 22 weeks, is thriving. They are just two of many examples.
Also, consider that gestational age is not 100 percent accurate. The most reliable method can still be off by five to 10 days, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. This means a fetus that doctors believe is just 20 weeks can actually be 22 weeks — within the proven viability range.
Since 1975, health-care providers have been required by law to do everything they can to save babies born alive during abortion attempts. After nearly 42 years, this law desperately needs updating.
It’s time to get serious about protecting the most vulnerable among us.
Cathi Herrod is president of Center for Arizona Policy, a non-profit organization that promotes and defends the values of life, marriage and family, and religious freedom. Follow her on Twitter, @Cathiherrod.