Hospital Aborts Wrong Twin in Horrible Mistake

on November 28, 2011 at 10:51 AM

hospital bed Warning: If you don't want to be seriously disturbed, you might want to skip this. A woman in Australia who was pregnant with twins decided to have one of her babies aborted after doctors discovered that he had a life-threatening congenital heart defect. The seriously disturbing part? The doctors aborted the wrong fetus, terminating a perfectly healthy child.

After doctors realized the "blunder," the woman, who was 32 weeks pregnant, had to undergo an emergency cesarean to deliver the sick fetus, where it was later terminated. The Royal Women's Hospital confirmed the incident and referred to it as a "terrible tragedy." Um, yeah ... one could say that.

I honestly really don't even know what to say about this. It's one of those occurrences that's so terrible and heart-breaking and unreal-seeming that it leaves me sort of confused. I can't imagine -- literally -- what it would be like to go through something so gut-wrenching. The decision to terminate the one twin had to be taxing and grueling enough for this woman. To then have both of the twins terminated -- because of a hospital's mistake? I can't. I wish there was something I -- or anyone -- could do for this poor lady. But I know there's not.

This isn't about being for abortion or against it. I'm sure that's truly the last thing on earth this woman wants to hear right now. It's about supporting someone who lost two children -- and hoping and praying that, somehow, everything will be okay.

How terrible is this?

Image via Viajar24hr.com/Flickr

About the author Nicole Fabian-Weber

has the world's most gorgeous dog. It's a fact.

chigirl1228

on Nov 28, 2011 at 10:55 AM

:*(

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Ms.PuNkrOckStar

on Nov 28, 2011 at 11:00 AM

Omg such terrible tragedy. I just hope prolifers dont start trashing this woman. And i hope they dont turn iT into a debate prolife vs prochoice

micheledo

on Nov 28, 2011 at 11:08 AM

I won't start a debate, I am sorry for this woman. But I don't see how it isn't about abortion. She made a choice to abort one, they killed the wrong one, then killed the other. How is it not about abortion and being pro-life??

Nonmember comment from TwinDad

on Nov 28, 2011 at 11:10 AM

A couple of things, 1) a fetus is a baby, regardless of the fact that you use a medical term to make yourself feel less guilty about killing it; 2) since a fetus is a baby, and a baby is alive, then by simple logic and common sense, abortion is murder...regardless of whatever you tell yourself that helps you sleep at night. As a father of twins with #3 on the way, there is NO WAY IN HELL that I could ever possibly consider the choice that this woman made. Finally, the article makes no mention of the father and what his decision was/would have been. As there can be no child(ren) without the father, however present or absent, he should have the right to decide whether or not his child(ren) is/are to be murdered.

mlberry4172

on Nov 28, 2011 at 11:11 AM

My heart aches for this poor woman. That's all that needs to be said!!

hutchfam2007

on Nov 28, 2011 at 11:16 AM

Wow. Thats heartbreaking. Personally, I think if I found out something was wrong at 32 weeks, I would just let nature take its course, unless there was a serious risk to the healthy child. This is close to full term for twins so I just cant imagine not giving the baby a chance. That is just my opinion of what I think I would do if I were in the situation not what I think she should have done because Im not her and Im not her dr.s Im sure they made the best possible decision but it just didnt have the outcome they were going for.

on Nov 28, 2011 at 11:23 AM

the thing is that we have already had this debate. Prochoicers wont agree with prolifers and so on. . . .This is a tragedy and that is all that matters. "she should of. . " <. . . .We know! BUT THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE NOW. And it is not about abortion its about malpractice.

SandMsMama

on Nov 28, 2011 at 11:24 AM

why were neither of them given a chance? just bc a baby isn't perfect you can kill them now? can we do this with adults too, starting with the doctor that killed the babies

billsfan1104

on Nov 28, 2011 at 11:43 AM

I want to say so much on this issue. I am going to try to not be demaning. But its very hard to try to take out the abortion debate out of the conversation. The fact is is that we do not have a lot of the info. Just that one twin was sick, and she decided to abort at 32 weeks(so it would of been a late term aboriton). No where does it say that she was in danger of losing her life. So why abort the baby?? Why didnt she just let it go until both could be born?? Truth be told, it is HER fault that this happened. She CHOSE to abort a baby, and this happened to her. I am not going to grieve for her. I am going to grieve for those babies she decided to have killed.

ChicHippie

on Nov 28, 2011 at 11:57 AM

Having a child with a serious birth defect I find it very hard to find sympathy for this woman. Honestly. It's a terrible terrible tragedy.. for all parties, but the fact of the matter is that modern medicine is a wonderful thing, and at 32 weeks you're going to have a hard time mustering up too much sympathy from too many folks because doctors can "fix" many things or at least make them more pleasant. Abortion is painful for the baby.. so I'm trying to figure out whom she was trying to spare pain? Seems like a selfish decision to me. I wasn't there though so that's just my take given the info that was presented.