11 year old Girl in Romania denied abortion despite rape allegation

xDonnax · #1 (**permalink**) 06-21-2008, 03:55 AM

Friday, June 20 08:42 pm

BUCHAREST (AFP) - A medical ethics panel in Romania refused Friday to grant an abortion to an 11-year-old who had allegedly been raped by her uncle, a hospital official said.

"According to the penal code, after the 14th week of pregnancy, termination is only permissible if the mother's life is endangered or if the foetus suffers from malformation," said Vica Todosiciuc, head of the Cuza Voda maternity section in the northeastern city of Iasi.

"Having examined the girl, the panel observes that the pregnancy is proceeding naturally and therefore that termination should not be imposed."

The girl's parents discovered the pregnancy during a medical check-up two weeks ago after she complained of stomach pains. Police are hunting the uncle, who is said to have fled his home.

"The fact that the pregnancy stemmed from rape was not taken into account by the panel, for two reasons: one, because rape has not been proven; and two, because the penal code does not allow for any exceptions," Todosiciuc said.

"This was a very difficult decision for the doctors to make. They searched for a medical reason which would allow them to authorise a termination, but none was found."

An initial regional medical commission had recommended allowing termination, primarily because the girl is so young. But the law in Romania requires an ethnics panel to have the final say in cases which have gone past 14 weeks.

According to Romania's health ministry, the number of under-15s giving birth is on the increase, reaching around 500 in 2006.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/2008062...n-fc9e5d6.html

Makedde · #2 (**permalink**) 06-21-2008, 06:43 PM

I have heard the child is in fact 14. I have also heard that she was going for an abortion, when she was taken to a Priest, and pro lifers believe she is being 'forced' to abort by her mother.
I can post the artical I have if anyone wants to see it.

Having said that, the child was raped, and she should NOT be forced to have a baby against her will. Besides being raped, the father of the child is her uncle. This is incest meaning the child could be born with all manner of afflictions.
These people must allow this child to make the best decision for her future.

pinkie · #3 (**permalink**) 06-22-2008, 06:00 AM

I really hate it when I hear things like this. If this young girl chooses to abort she should be allowed. I really don't understand this panel of ethics, as far as I am concerned there are no ethics. This young girl should be allowed to live a normal life like normal 11yr old, but she can't nowbeacuse some F**king ***hole decided to ruin her life. How sick! This is really a sad story, I hope this little girl grows up and hopefull she will heal from this and have a happy life.

Makedde · #4 (**permalink**) 06-22-2008, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinkie

I really hate it when I hear things like this. If this young girl chooses to abort she should be allowed. I really don't understand this panel of ethics, as far as I am concerned there are no ethics. This young girl should be allowed to live a normal life like normal 11yr old, but she can't nowbeacuse some F**king ***hole decided to ruin her life. How sick! This is really a sad story, I hope this little girl grows up and hopefull she will heal from this and have a happy life.

If the child in question is eleven, then abortion would be her best option for her own health. At eleven years of age, her body is not yet mature enough to bear a child. She is still growing, and carrying a child could cause damage, I would imagine to her spine which is also still growing. It's possible at such a young age she could die from this pregnancy as she simply isn't mature enough to bear a child.

Whaler17 · #5 (**permalink**) 06-24-2008, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Makedde

If the child in question is eleven, then abortion would be her best option for her own health. At eleven years of age, her body is not yet mature enough to bear a child. She is still growing, and carrying a child could cause damage, I would imagine to her spine which is also still growing. It's possible at such a young age she could die from this pregnancy as she simply isn't mature enough to bear a child.

You don't seem to understand that these procedures often do serious damage to a woman's reproductive organs, not to mention the psychological impact of the child living with killing her own baby the rest of her life.

this is certainly not as easy a decision as you make it sound. I am not saying an abortion shouldn't be performed, I am just saying there are definite risks both ways!

Sadistic-Savior · #6 (**permalink**) 06-24-2008, 08:05 AM

I agree with the decision. It is not the fetus's fault that its mother was raped, or that she is young.

Abortion is only acceptable, IMO, if the mother's life is at significant risk.

Sadistic-Savior · #7 (**permalink**) 06-24-2008, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Having said that, the child was raped, and she should NOT be forced to have a baby against her will.

It isnt the baby's fault her mother was raped.

Quote:

If the child in question is eleven, then abortion would be her best option for her own health. At eleven years of age, her body is not yet mature enough to bear a child.

The doctors dont seem to agree with you. I will defer to their judgement over your's.

Quote:

She is still growing, and carrying a child could cause damage

Which is bad. Killing her child is worse.

Quote:

It's possible at such a young age she could die from this pregnancy

If medical experts determined that to be a significant possibility, I would agree with an abortion.

Makedde · #8 (**permalink**) 06-24-2008, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whaler17

You don't seem to understand that these procedures often do serious damage to a woman's reproductive organs, not to mention the psychological impact of the child living with killing her own baby the rest of her life.

this is certainly not as easy a decision as you make it sound. I am not saying an abortion shouldn't be performed, I am just saying there are definite risks both ways!

Most women who have abortions can go on to have children afterwards. They are not affected in any way, it is only when the abortion is performed by a doctor who doesn't know what he is doing.

Most women who have abortions don't sit around their houses crying about how they murdered their babies. They get on with their lives.

Makedde · #9 (**permalink**) 06-24-2008, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sadistic-Savior

I agree with the decision. It is not the fetus's fault that its mother was raped, or that she is young.

Abortion is only acceptable, IMO, if the mother's life is at significant risk.

It doesn't take a genius to figure that having a child at the age of eleven is going to cause some kind of damage. There may be no way to tell how bad that damage will be until the pregnancy progresses.

If this child is eleven, what right does anyone have to tell her she must have a baby, when she is no more than a baby herself? I can't imagine how terrifying it would be for a child so young to be raped, and then to make her carry her rapists baby? How can anyone be so cruel? What about her mental health?

Tuesday · #10 (**permalink**) 06-24-2008, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sadistic-Savior

I agree with the decision. It is not the fetus's fault that its mother was raped, or that she is young.

Abortion is only acceptable, IMO, if the mother's life is at significant risk.

So, a little bit of abortion (or murder, as some chose to call it) is okay? Just not too much?

Does this make you Pro Choice in that you acknowledge the mother's right to chose to save her own life over that of the fetus'?

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