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Feticide and late termination of pregnancy: an essential component of reproductive health care

Caroline M Costa
Med J Aust 2022; 217 (8): . || doi: 10.5694/mja2.51727
Published online: 17 October 2022

Decisions about late abortion and care for women and their families are supported by sensitive and professional care

Most pregnant women in Australia undergo some form of antenatal screening for fetal anomalies. This includes ultrasound scanning for fetal structural anomalies and combined first trimester screening, which is largely publicly funded, and non‐invasive prenatal screening for certain chromosomal or genetic conditions, currently available only at private expense.1


  • The Cairns Institute, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD


Correspondence: caroline.decosta@jcu.edu.au

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

  • 1. Hui L, Edwards L. First and second trimester screening for fetal structural anomalies. Semin Fetal Neonatal Med 2018; 23: 102‐111.
  • 2. Down Syndrome Australia. Submission to Disability Royal Commission Health: Health issues paper (cited here: p. 9). Mar 2020. https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/system/files/submission/ISS.001.00149_2.PDF (viewed Aug 2022).
  • 3. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Abortion care (NICE guideline NG140). Sept 2019. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng140 (viewed July 2022).
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  • 5. Pasquini l, Pontello V, Kumar S. Intra‐cardiac injection of potassium chloride as a method of feticide: experience from a single UK tertiary centre. BJOG 2008; 115: 528‐531.
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  • 8. Janiak E, Freeman S, Maurer R, et al. Relationship of job role and clinic type to perceived stigma and occupational stress among abortion workers. Contraception 2018; 98: 517‐521.
  • 9. Fitzsimmons C. What overturning Roe v Wade means for Australia. Sydney Morning Herald, 25 June 2022. https://www.smh.com.au/national/what‐overturning‐roe‐v‐wade‐means‐for‐australia‐20220625‐p5awk9.html (viewed July 2022).
  • 10. Barratt A, McGeechan K, Black K, et al. Knowledge of current abortion law and views on abortion law reform: a community survey of NSW residents. Aust N Z J Public Health 2019; 43: 88‐93.

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