21½-week baby

Kelly Thorman was born prematurely in 1971 at 21½ weeks after conception*. This picture was taken three weeks later. Sadly, Kelly died of pneumonia (this is a particular danger with premature babies). When she died, nobody said that "part of the mother's body" had gone or that "the products of conception" had disappeared.

Kelly was "wanted" and given the best available care, while babies born alive in abortions who may have survived if given care have been left to die - although at this stage measures are often taken, and are recommended by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), to ensure the delivery of a dead baby.

With advances in technology and in understanding of human fetal development, premature babies' chances of survival are improving. The RCOG stated in Preterm Labour and its Consequences (1985) that: "In 1984, 72 per cent of liveborn infants of 22 to 27 weeks' gestation* born at the Bristol Maternity Hospital survived, as did 64 per cent of infants of 500 to 999 grammes birthweight." These percentages had increased on those of previous years.

*Note: length of pregnancy is normally quoted from the time of the mother's last menstrual period, rather than the age of the baby from conception, which would usually be two weeks less: i.e. 21.5 weeks after conception equates to 23.5 weeks pregnancy/gestation; 22-27 weeks gestation equates to 20-25 weeks from conception.