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Burial more respectful for unborn babies

MEDIA RELEASE
25/7/2012

“Two recent stories tell different fates of the destination of the bodies of unborn babies who are dead as the result of abortions,” said Dr. Katrina Haller, Senior Executive Officer of The Right to Life Australia.  She continued, “In Thanh Xuan Village in Vietnam, locals collect the bodies of unborn babies and bury them in their cemetery.” http://english.vietnamnet.vn/en/society/25235/rising-abortions-stretch-foetus-cemetery.html  The report in the Viet Nam News stated that in 2004, the cemetery was divided into two parts – one for normal burials and one for the unborn.  “They are buried out of a sense of respect and villagers donate white cloth and funereal jars to bury the babies,” Dr Haller explained.

“Reports are now coming in about hundreds of unborn children being found in a Russian forest, for example, reported by Nick Pearson of Ninemsn News: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/8504656/hundreds-of-human-foetuses-found-in-forest.  Preserved in formaldehyde and placed in plastic containers, they seem to have then been dumped in a ditch,” Dr Haller summarised.

 

Dr. Katrina Haller said, “The burial of unborn babies shows more respect for them than preserving and then dumping them.”  She continued, “The Vietnamese villagers are to be commended for the respect they show to these babies.”  Dr. Haller quoted from the report in the Viet Nam News, “They were supposed to be born, but for some reason they were not, but they do not deserve to be abandoned.”  She said, “The reason it is wrong to kill an unborn child is that you deprive them of their life and their future – they cannot have experiences like you and I have had.”

“What is the fate of unborn children in Australia?” she asked.  “In Perth, the King Edward Memorial Hospital have published guidelines on mid-trimester termination of pregnancy.”  http://kemh.health.wa.gov.au/development/manuals/O&G_guidelines/sectionc/10/c10.4.pdf  Guideline 6 provides, “The woman/couple may wish to see or hold fetus and have mementos such as photographs and footprints taken.  Wrap the fetus in a quilt.  The quilt may be taken home by the couple if they wish.  The couple may dress the fetus if they wish.”  Guideline 8 provides, “The fetus and placenta are placed in the white, labelled container and stored in the fridge in the treatment room.  Appropriate documentation must be completed if the fetus is to be sent to pathology.”

“What happens to the unborn babies after they are placed in the fridge?” Dr Haller asked.  “We believe the most respectful fate for them is to be buried in a special part of a cemetery.”

For more comments contact Dr Katrina Haller on 9385 0144 or 0414 267 306.


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