Question for NICU nurses in Texas, Idaho

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Specializes in Retired from NICU.

The scenario: woman with eclampsia at say, 24-26 weeks is admitted to L&D.  After trying to stabilize her, the decision is made is to deliver the infant by C/S immediately. Despite high level care, the baby doesn't make it.

Will the doctor(s) and other staff involved be accused of providing an abortion?

Some of the stuff coming from those (and other states) seems crazy, like waiting until the pregnant person is septic before removing a deceased fetus.

Thanks.

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Specializes in PICU.

Don't see how. I mean 24-26 weekers babies are really little and survival, although is much better than 15 years ago is not so great.  So much depends on lung development  and other organ development as well as birth weight. Not sure how they could be accused of abortion. 

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Read the laws. Of course there would be no criminal charges in the above scenario as there is no direct intention to act against a living fetus. Nor would there be if the fetus died as a secondary effect of intervention (not an primary direct act against it)  to save the life of the mother

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