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Monday, October 7, 2013

Australian Doctor Investigated for Refusing to Do Sex-Selective Abortion



by James Christopherson 

9News National in Melbourne, Australia, reported this morning that Dr. Mark Hobart has been under investigation for months after refusing parents’ request to abort their daughter.  The couple reportedly sought an abortion because they had discovered that they were pregnant with a girl. Despite the investigation, Dr. Hobart defended his decision. “The pregnancy was well advanced, and I refused to refer the patient because there was no medical reason to do it.” [Emphasis added.]

This case demonstrates the clash of politics against good medicine.  In his interview with 9News, Dr. Hobart is quoted as saying, “I think it demonstrates the problem with abortion law that stops doctors from using their conscience whether it is appropriate or not… It’s very wrong.” [Emphasis added.]

Moreover, this case stands in stark contrast to medical practice in the United States, where a recent trend has developed among states to prohibit by law race-selective abortion and sex-selective abortion.  This legislation both protects children who would otherwise be killed before birth simply for being the ‘wrong’ gender in the eyes of their parents, and further bolsters conscience-rights protections for medical professionals in the United States who refuse to perform, participate in, or refer for abortions.








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