Watch: Abortion Shouldn’t Be Option Even If Baby Will Die Right After Birth, Maltese Pro-Life Activist Insists
One of Malta’s most prominent pro-life activists has insisted that abortion shouldn’t even be an option in cases of serious birth defects that will consign the baby to a very early death.
Miriam Sciberras, chairperson of Life Network Foundation, was faced with this question during an abortion debate with pro-choice activist Andrea Dibben on 103 Malta’s Heart this morning.
“If the baby has a heartbeat but the doctor knows they are suffering, that they will die in pain and that there’s no hope, what should they do?” host Andrew Azzopardi questioned.
Sciberras argued that while such situations aren’t covered by the controversial bill currently being discussed by Parliament, abortion shouldn’t be accepted as an option.
“When there’s life, there’s life,” she responded. “People with disabilities are either born with them or develop them later on in life, but no matter when it comes, it doesn’t strip us off our humanity.”
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Scibberas argued that the same philosophical principle should apply to unborn babies, no matter the extremity of the condition they are born with.
“If someone has cancer or was run over by a car and ended up in a really serious situation, we don’t terminate their lives but do our utmost to make sure they live everyday with dignity.”
“The same principle applies for unborn babies… no matter what they have. It’s a life, no matter if you live for four months, six months, a week after being born…”
When Dibben challenged Scibberas over whether the same principle should apply if the baby will die after five minutes, the pro-life activist insisted that it should.
“Five minutes too. That was the option that someone I know well was given. Isn’t that a life too? Shouldn’t she give birth to it, love it and hug it? Why not?”
Dibben counter-argued that mothers should be given a choice in these situations.
“Of course they should be allowed [to give birth]. However, mothers who don’t want to be a walking coffin, stay pregnant for four months and suffer through a Caesarian only for the baby to die after five minutes should be given the choice to get an abortion. However, the bill only covers situations where the woman’s life is in danger.”
Cover photo: Left: Pro-choice activist Andrea Dibben, Right: Pro-life activist Miriam Scibberas
Do you think abortion should be allowed in these circumstances?
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