This week during a presidential debate, former President Donald Trump falsely claimed that Democrats want to “execute” babies, suggesting that the Democratic party supports abortions “after birth.” The lie came up during the first confrontation between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris when asked about abortion. As ABC News anchor Linsey Davis mentioned during her real-time fact check, there is no state where it is legal to kill a baby after birth. A report from KFF notes that abortions “after birth” are illegal in every state. Trump’s false statements are in line with his previous comments about “late-term abortions,” which isn’t a technical medical term, that he also brought up in the debate with President Joe Biden.

This is a significant shift from the pre-Roe v. Wade era, when abortion was more readily available and abortions were performed at a much earlier stage. The shift in abortion timing is a direct consequence of the increasing restrictions on abortion access. These restrictions, which include bans on abortion after 21 weeks, trigger a cascade of effects that lead to women seeking abortions later in pregnancy.

The mother would be kept comfortable. The mother would be given the option to keep the baby or not. The mother would be given the right to make that decision.”

This statement, made by Governor Northam in 2019, sparked controversy and debate. The statement was widely criticized for its ambiguity and lack of clarity. Critics argued that the statement was not a clear reflection of the current legal framework surrounding abortion.

Jennifer L. Smith, a leading expert in perinatal palliative care, emphasizes that the focus should be on providing comfort and support to the family, as well as ensuring that the baby’s needs are met. Dr. Smith’s research has shown that perinatal palliative care can be beneficial for both the baby and the family. It can help to reduce anxiety and stress, improve communication, and foster a sense of hope and acceptance.

But as ACOG states: “At no point in the course of delivering a newborn with life-limiting conditions and subsequently providing palliative care does the obstetrician–gynecologist end the life of the newborn receiving palliative care.” David Hackney, a Cleveland-based maternal-fetal medicine specialist, told Salon, “perinatal comfort care” often gets conflated with “abortion,” and “euthanasia.” But as ACOG emphasizes, “abortion cannot be performed after a pregnancy has ended.” “Conflating abortion care with the murder of an infant serves only to stigmatize lifesaving health care, defame doctors who provide critical treatment, attack people who are already suffering the loss of a wanted pregnancy or facing serious illness, and further a politicized agenda that aims to restrict access to health care and erode people’s rights to bodily autonomy,” ACOG states. “Such allegations endanger the lives of people seeking health care and the physicians who provide that care.”

* **Hackney’s Controversial Comments: A Threat to Pediatric Palliative Care?

* Hackney, a prominent figure in the field of pediatric palliative care, has been criticized for his comments about the practice. * Hackney’s comments have been deemed insensitive and offensive by many, particularly those working in the field of pediatric palliative care. * Hackney’s comments have been interpreted as minimizing the suffering of children with life-limiting illnesses. * Hackney’s comments have been seen as contributing to a culture of fear and misunderstanding surrounding pediatric palliative care.

Spreading misinformation about perinatal palliative care, ACOG says, “serves only to endanger those who need it and who provide it.”