Ban on intact dilatation and extraction passes in the Senate

The late-term abortion procedure is controversial among physicians. But medicine balks at letting politicians dictate medical policy.

By Andis Robeznieks, AMNews staff. April 7, 2003.

Intact dilatation and extraction, called "partial-birth abortion" by the anti-abortion movement and "so-called partial-birth abortion" by abortion rights activists, is expected to become illegal in the United States in a matter of weeks. Court challenges to a new law are a near certainty.

Although both the AMA and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists declined to comment on federal legislation aimed at banning intact D&X, both issued statements that said doctors, and not governments, should decide if certain medical procedures are performed.

Leonard Morse, MD, chair of the AMA's Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, said the decision should be left to people with medical training and a license to practice medicine.

"Personally, I would only support the procedure if the life of the mother was threatened," said Dr. Morse who stressed he was speaking only for himself and not CEJA or the AMA. "But, personally, I've been bothered by the position taken in Washington.

"The practice of medicine is done by licensed people who have to be unencumbered in emergency situations," he said. "If they feel they have to perform certain procedures to save the life of the mother, they should be allowed to exercise their judgment. It's a very rare situation, but if the situation should arise, I don't think the doctor should be encumbered."

Anti-abortion activists claim that intact D&X operations are performed daily. But a recent study showed that, in terms of percentages, they are rarely done. In the study, published in the January/February Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, researchers estimated that 2,200 intact D&X procedures were done in the United States in 2000, accounting for about 0.17% of abortions performed.