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US poised to outlaw late abortion technique

BMJ 1995; 311 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.311.7016.1319a (Published 18 November 1995) Cite this as: BMJ 1995;311:1319

America's pro-life advocates experienced a historic step towards outlawing some forms of abortion last week, when the House of Representatives passed a bill prohibiting late abortion using intrauterine cranial decompression. The bill now awaits judgment from the Senate Judiciary Committee for hearings.

The house agreed by a two thirds majority to restrict doctors from performing late term abortions (at 19 or 20 weeks' gestation or beyond), which involve delivering the fetus feet first after first decompressing its skull. If the bill becomes law, doctors who perform this so called partial birth procedure could face up to two years' imprisonment.

The vote comes …

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