THE debate on whether to allow abortion of foetuses infected with the Zika virus is welcomed.
Babies born from Zika-infected mothers run the danger of microcephaly and/or other defects.
Babies with microcephaly can have a spectrum of problems, depending on how severe their condition is. Microcephaly has been linked with the following:
SEIZURES,
DWARFISM and developmental delay, such as problems with speech or other locomotor setbacks like sitting, standing, and walking;
INTELLECTUAL disability (decreased ability to learn and function in daily life);
PROBLEMS with movement and balance;
FEEDING problems, such as difficulty in swallowing;
HEARING loss; and,
VISION problems.
These problems can range from mild to severe and are often lifelong. Children born with severe microcephaly die early in life.
Babies with microcephaly often need follow-ups through regular checks-up to monitor their growth and development.
Some consider the life of the foetus to be paramount and which must be preserved at all costs.
Under the law, abortion is allowed if the mother’s health is in danger or if the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest.
In the United Kingdom, Section 1(1)d of the 1967 Abortion Act allows termination of a pregnancy at any time if there is a significant risk of the baby being born seriously disabled.
While the life in the womb has human rights, so does the mother. So, we must strike a balance between the two and come to a sensible decision. We cannot be too rigid in our thinking along religious lines.
If the personality of the mother is such that she is too young to cope with a disabled child or considers the prospects of raising a microcephalic child too demanding and stressful, then she should be given the discretion to end the pregnancy.
If the mother is forced to have the child, one can imagine the predicament in their lives. There are those who deem the baby’s life to be paramount in all circumstances but can they accept the continuation of the pregnancy if it was the result of rape or incest?
Assess the value of the ensuing quality of life of both the baby and mother when weighing the pros and cons of terminating pregnancies due to foetal defects as a result of Zika infections.
The mother should be given the right to decide.
DR A. SOORIAN, Seremban, Negri Sembilan