PBS offers a wide range of programming. For example, you can watch shows about doctors who help “babies still inside their mothers’ wombs.”
And those who kill them.
“Twice Born” focuses on the special delivery unit at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia–a place where doctors perform fetal surgeries. According to the show’s description, it’s also place where parents wonder, “Should they take a leap of faith to repair birth defects with pre-natal surgery, even if it means they might lose their child?”
But for another group of doctors, losing a child isn’t a risk– it’s the goal. PBS showcased them on “After Tiller“, a documentary about late-term abortionists. The write-up for “After Tiller” is different from that of “Twice Born“: while the children in question are just as old or ever older, they aren’t called “babies” on this part of PBS’ website. Rather, “the potential life of the fetus” is described.
I’m really not sure how a “potential life” is able to feel pain, but Dr. Kanwaljeet Anand’s research at the University of Tennessee indicates a fetus does at 20 weeks. By then, an abortion usually involves a technique known as dilation and evacuation (D&E). Dr. Anthony Levatino is an obstetrician-gynecologist who’s performed over 1,200 abortions, and in the video below, he explains what a D&E consists of.
After the amniotic fluid is removed, the abortionist uses a sopher clamp — a grasping instrument with rows of sharp “teeth” — to grasp and pull the baby’s arms and legs, tearing the limbs from the child’s body.
The abortionist continues to grasp intestines, spine, heart, lungs, and any other limbs or body parts. The most difficult part of the procedure is usually finding, grasping and crushing the baby’s head.
After removing pieces of the child’s skull, the abortionist uses a curette to scrape the uterus and remove the placenta and any remaining parts of the baby.
For abortions at 25 weeks and over, an induction procedure is used:
Day 1: To help ensure the baby will be delivered dead and not alive, the abortionist uses a large needle to inject digoxin or potassium chloride through the woman’s abdomen or vagina, targeting the baby’s heart, torso, or head. When the digoxin takes effect, the lethal dose causes a fatal cardiac arrest, and the baby’s life will end. (Even if the needle misses the baby, digoxin can still kill the baby when released into the amniotic sack, but will usually take longer to kill the child.)
During the same visit, the abortionist inserts multiple laminaria sticks, or sterilized seaweed, to open up the woman’s cervix.
Day 2: The abortionist replaces the laminaria and may perform a second ultrasound to ensure that the baby is dead. If the child is still alive, the abortionist administers a second lethal dose of digoxin or potassium chloride. During this visit, the abortionist may administer labor-inducing drugs.
The woman goes back to where she is staying while her cervix continues to dilate. The woman will usually wait a period of two to four days for her cervix to dilate enough for her to deliver the dead baby.
Day 3 or 4: The woman returns to the clinic to deliver her dead baby. If she goes into labor before she can make it to the abortion clinic in time, she will deliver her baby at home or in a hotel room. During this time, a woman may be advised to sit on a bathroom toilet until the abortionist arrives. If she can make it to the clinic, she will do so during her most heavy and severe contractions and deliver the dead baby.
If the child does not come out whole, the procedure becomes a D&E, or a dilation and evacuation. The abortionist uses clamps and forceps to dismember and remove the baby piece by piece.
Why are late-term abortions performed? Well, Gary Cross had Planned Parenthood set one up for his 13-year-old at 20 weeks after he got her pregnant. Despite the girl being well below the age of consent, Planned Parenthood didn’t contact authorities. And with the evidence gone, Cross was free to keep on abusing her.
At Southwestern Women’s Options in New Mexico, they’ll commit abortions at up to 27 weeks for women who didn’t realize how far along they were.
If you don’t agree with that, then support laws to protect pain-capable children. Further, tell the presidential candidates you want judicial nominees who will uphold them. Because at the end of the day, what separates the babies on “Twice Born” from the ones in “After Tiller”? Nothing.
