When a minor becomes pregnant, is the decision to abort the pregnancy that of the parent or that of the mother-to-be? Could some cases warrant the decision to abort made by people other than the pregnant woman?

These are serious cases as the story of a young mentally handicapped Italian girl illustrates. Laura, 13, from Pozzallo in Sicily, had been placed in the care of social services after being removed from her destitute mother. The juvenile court appointed the family doctor as legal guardian.

Laura got up to mischief with a local boy and, faced with the prospects of the mentally ill girl giving birth, the doctor chose the abortion for the girl under his legal care. Because of her mental condition, she is unable to make a choice herself. The decision to abort was supported by Laura's mother and the social worker in charge of the case.

The Coroner conceded the baby would have died because of its prematurity but he stressed that protocols should be urgently put in place in the NT to ensure babies that survived the abortion process be assessed by a doctor.

Anti-abortion groups such as the Right to Life organization passionately oppose any terminations.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Di Sarno, Greg Cavanagh, Pozzallo Sicily, , North Territory, Evidence Coroner, Anti-abortion Life, decision abort, legal abortion, newborn child, 24 weeks, unborn fetus, baby girl, fetus newborn, born unwanted,
Approximate Word count = 627
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)