Medical intervention could possibly have saved the dumped foetus

LYDENBURG – A five-month-old foetus was found on Friday, dumped among sewerage and waste at Extension 2. Municipal workers made this gruesome discovery when they were doing repairs at the sewerage works.

The foetus was still attached to the umbilical cord and placenta and was taken to Bushbuckridge for an autopsy.

A local medical doctor in town said that it was possible that the baby could have been viable had it received medical attention.

He said this was definitely not a home or hospital delivery as the placenta was still attached to the baby. “It had well-formed skin and the probability exists that it could have been born alive.”

Dr Donald Mabunda, the pathologist who performed the autopsy, told the newspaper that the baby was not alive. “It was stillborn and was still too young

The foetus was roughly five months old. According to World Health Organization, termination of pregnancy is done before 20 weeks of conception.

If it occurs before 12 weeks it is known as early abortion and between 12 and 20 weeks it is referred to as as late abortion. In South Africa, induced abortions are legal and can only be done before 12 weeks of pregnancy. Having an abortion after 12 weeks is also much more dangerous.

Late and illegal termination of pregnancy is induced by various methods like the intake of herbal abortifacients, irritating the uterus with sharp tools, physical trauma to the uterus and foetus or other unsafe procedures.

Some of these methods are still used for illegal “home” abortions in South Africa and are extremely dangerous.

There is a high rate of complications and death in mothers who opt for these methods, which also lead to secondary infertility in many women.