How early?

[zkt09]

I have been trying to find this out but cant find an answer.
I live in the UK and what is the age limit that doctors will help a premature baby to survive? Iv read a lot of stories about doctors not helping before 23 weeks but just wondered if anyone knew the legal limits?
Thanks

 

[Logiebear]

I don't think there is a legal limit. Maybe ethical but not legal. I'm sure that if they feel the baby has a chance, i.e. survives the birth, they will help xxx Hope everything is ok with you?

 

[embojet]

Im not sure about legalities but a baby born before 24 weeks is not classed as viable', and is classed as a miscarriage, not a prem baby. They dont try to save it as the lungs are not strong enough to survive etc.

 

[ALI]

24 weeks is the abortion limit , and as such Doctors are not legally obliged to try and save a baby born under 24 weeks. This is a pretty good argument for the abortion limit being lowered.

So yes in answer to your question there is a legal limit, under
British law doctors do NOT by law have to help a baby born under 24 weeks, whether they do or not is another matter.

There have been cases where babies born under 24 week have been left to die and they have only intervened as much has 7 or 8 hours later, in one case it was treated as an abortion and left for hours until someone noticed the baby was still alive .

This is not always the case, one baby born at St Mary's , where our girl was born, was born at 22 weeks weighing 14 ounces and was treated immediately and is now a healthy 6 year old

 

[AP]

i have read a lot about 23weekers surviving recently...

 

[bumpsmum]

was there not something in the news today about a baby born at 24 weeks tat they thought didnt survive and his body moved il the parents were ready only for someone to hear him cry a few hours later? or so my MIL was telling me I never saw it myself..... (sorry to thread jump thought it was interesting story) x