Laws governing abortion often revolve around the concept of fetal viability, that is, after a certain number of weeks of developing, the fetus has the capacity for sustained survival outside the uterus. The usual figure for legal purposes recently is 24 weeks. This
1997 article in The NYT notes that "Babies born at this stage are known as micropreemies and are extremely fragile. The typical micropreemie weighs 500 to 600 grams -- slightly more than a pound -- and can fit in the palm of a hand."
While the law is precise, and needs to be, fetal viability is not. Here's a case in point from a Canadian mother of twins, contributing her experience on
The Daily Dish blog as part of a conversation on late-term abortion sparked by the murder of Dr. Tiller in Kansas.
While the law is precise, and needs to be, fetal viability is not. Here's a case in point from a Canadian mother of twins, contributing her experience on The Daily Dish blog as part of a conversation on late-term abortion sparked by the murder of Dr. Tiller in Kansas.