On Jan. 10, Amadi Omokore-Allen celebrated his first birthday. When he was born, he weighed one pound, five ounces, and was given a 10% chance of survival.
After spending 155 days in a NICU, he went home. He was only slightly more than halfway through a typical gestation period of 40 weeks. Amandi now weighs almost 21 pounds.
Jari Lopez was born at 11.5 ounces. Doctors gave him a 30% chance of survival. He was born at 24 weeks gestation and remained in the NICU for 127 days. On his first birthday, he weighed 16 pounds.
I share these fantastic stories to show the viability of a baby is not a doctor’s determination. These children survived before the 40 weeks of gestation.
In January, Gov. Janet Mills introduced a bill to allow abortion up until birth. This would change Maine law to allow abortion “at anytime during pregnancy,” with a doctor’s approval. Current Maine law allows abortion up until the fetus is viable, which is normally about 22-24 weeks.
The law also states: “After viability, an abortion may be performed only when it is necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother. State statute defines viability as when the life of the fetus may be continued indefinitely outside the womb by natural or artificial life support.”
This proposed bill goes too far and isn’t in the best interest of Maine. Babies can survive before the 22-24 weeks gestation, as I’ve shared.
We need to protect all children. I just saw an ultrasound picture of our grandson who is 24 weeks old in gestation. He’s beautiful.
Katherine Perron, Sabattus
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