Changing the law.

"When Willow and I finally got out of hospital, I was feeding her when I read a story in a magazine about a lady named Nancy Asani, who was 37/38 weeks pregnant when she was involved in a car crash. Her baby, Meriem, died as a result but the driver was never charged with her death.
The law in too many places states that a baby isn't a life until it draws it's first breath- but that's not really true, is it?"

Read the rest of the entry here: Meriem's Law.

Something we feel strongly about here is that the law needs to be changed nationwide to recognise when an unborn child is murdered.
First off, let me say that I am pro-choice, and I agree- mostly with the abortion laws in most of Australia which looks something like this:
...if necessary to preserve the woman from a serious danger to her life or health – beyond the normal dangers of pregnancy and childbirth – that would result if the pregnancy continued, and is not disproportionate to the danger being averted.... This procedure is only applicable on pregnancies less then 22 weeks... In addition to this, abortions can be performed if a fetal defect is considered to be "inconsistent with life" – this has been narrowly interpreted to mean that the newborn would die immediately or shortly after birth...

The only change I would make is 18 weeks rather then 22 weeks.
Babies have survived, and can survive, being born very early, as in the amazing case of Amillia Taylor who was born at 21 weeks and six days- and survived. I also feel that doctors should give very premmie babies a chance- aside from Amillia, I've heard of another very premmie baby surivive because their mother lied about their age. If they survived, perhaps other babies could, too. Better to try, to give them a chance, then to not.

But if you are eight months pregnant and walking around the block, and you are run over and your baby killed- as in the case of Zoe Ball- to me that is no different from me walking down the street with Willow in her baby carrier or in her stroller. If Willow was to die, then the driver would be charged with her death. If a healthy unborn baby dies, then the driver should also be charged with their death.

There has been some progress made with "Byron's Law" introduced in NSW. But there is still a lot more to be done- namely, a nationwide law.

The Australian Government's Baby Bonus is payed out to a still birth after 20 weeks or 400g.
"Women who have stillborn children can receive the bonus on compassionate grounds.
According to the Parliamentary Library, the definition of a stillborn child in the Family Assistance Act is one who weighs at least 400g at delivery or whose period of gestation was at least 20 weeks; who has not breathed since delivery; and whose heart has not beaten since delivery."
From here. The baby bonus is designed to assist parents with the cost of a new baby- nappies, pram, cot etc. They recognise that before a baby is born at 40 weeks, the parents would have prepared for it's birth; been prepared to welcome a new member into the family. Now the law needs to recognise that to these parents, these children should be- need to be- recognised as a life- and a death- should anything unlawful happen to them in utero.

I know some people will argue "But how are they to know? She didn't look pregnant from behind." Well, guess what. Too bad. Maybe you shouldn't run people over, ever. Maybe you shouldn't go around punching women in the stomach, ever. (Maybe you shouldn't punch anyone in the stomach, ever.) Then you won't have to stand up in a court and explain "Look, I wouldn't have accidentally run over that woman if I'd know she was pregnant, ok?"

xx,
Christine

A follow up on Zoe's story here and a really well written speech by Rev Hon Dr Gordon Moyes on  ammending the Grievous Bodily Harm Bill in 2005.
"Laws are man made and therefore can be changed with today’s day and age. Unborn children should be acknowledged in our society."