Queensland Abortion Facts
Statistics
FROM QUEENSLAND HEALTH PERINATAL ANNUAL REPORTS 2018 – 2022
https://www.health.qld.gov.au/hsu/peri#annual
Mid and Late-Term Abortion Statistics from Table 10.13 of each report
N.B. These include abortions of babies under 20 weeks, which are mid-term. Age break-up does not differentiate between abortions and natural causes of death. So Queensland Health statistics for just late-term abortions are not publicly available.
2019
- Stillbirths (comment: from feticide & induction): 197
- Neonatal (comment: Induced live birth and left to die): 48
- Perinatal (Mid-to-Late Term Abortion): 245
Total: 490
2020
- Stillbirths (comment: from feticide & induction) 226
- Neonatal (comment: Induced live birth and left to die) 41
- Perinatal (Mid-to-Late Term Abortion): 267
Total: 534
2021
- Stillbirths (comment: from feticide & induction) 264
- Neonatal (comment: Induced live birth and left to die) 40
- Perinatal (Mid-to-Late Term Abortion): 304
Total: 608
2022
- Stillbirths (comment: from feticide & induction) 271
- Neonatal (comment: Induced live birth and left to die) 50
- Perinatal (Mid-to-Late Term Abortion): 321
COMMENT
The Termination of Pregnancy Act 2018 commenced on 3 December 2018. So taking 2018 as a base, this new law increased total mid to late-term abortions in Queensland by 111% over the next 4 years – based on Queensland Health annual reports from 2019 to 2022. Over the same period, the number of babies stillborn as a result of feticide or induction jumped by 120% and the number of babies born alive from induction and left to die rose by 72%
Babies Born Alive After Abortion
Queensland Midwife - Louise Adsett Testimony
ABORTION UP TO BIRTH FOR ANY REASON IS NOW THE LAW IN QUEENSLAND
Labor’s Termination of Pregnancy Act has no effective gestational limit on terminations. This law legalised abortion up to birth in Queensland, effectively for any reason.
The first part of the legalisation legalised abortion upon request (no questions asked) up to 22 weeks. In doing so it sanctioned the destruction of fully formed little humans on the brink of viability. In fact, some premature babies overseas have survived at 22 weeks gestation with high care.
Then from 22 weeks gestation until birth abortion is legal (refer to section 6(2)9b) of the Act), under expanded and loose criteria including “current and future physical, psychological and social circumstances“*, with the approval of two doctors. However there is no requirement for the second doctor to see the patient or even look at her file, the approval could merely be an email or phone call. If no second opinion is sought, there is no legal penalty. There is no requirement for independence of the second approving doctor – both doctors could be abortionists for example.
N.B. “physical, psychological and social circumstances” is notably loose criteria for obtaining an abortion from 22 weeks up until birth. The Queensland Law Commission briefing paper accompanying the Termination of Pregnancy Bill explained that “social circumstances” also includes relationship breakdown or economic troubles. So physical, psychological, social, economic and relational circumstances essentially covers every part of human life. There are no possible reasons outside these categories.
The grounds for doing a late-term abortion – “physical, psychological and social” – cover every possible reason, and this together with the loose rules mean that it is true to say that the Act allows unrestricted abortion for any reason beyond 22 weeks.
So the Queensland Labor Government has legalised abortion up to birth for any reason.
Furthermore, it would not be difficult to find two doctors to approve almost any late-term abortion request, as many doctors hold the view which underlines this Bill, as stated by the then Attorney-General, Yvette D’Ath, at a briefing for church and community leaders on the day the Bill was made public in 2018, that “the autonomy of the woman is paramount right throughout the pregnancy”.
Before the law changed in 2018, abortions was were legal in Queensland up to about 20 weeks gestation if there was a serious risk to a woman’s physical or psychological health. Abortions could be obtained past that time for fatal abnormalities or if the mother’s health was in serious risk.