Aborted foetus 'healthy'

A woman is considering legal action after undergoing an abortion when doctors said her unborn baby was brain- damaged. It was later found that the six-month old foetus had been perfectly healthy, writes Mary Braid.

Jacqueline James, 24, told an inquest in Dudley she would not have terminated her pregnancy if she had known the baby was healthy.

Ms James and her partner, Richard Wood, 27, who have two other children, were referred to a specialist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, after a scan showed there were problems.

The baby, named Natasha, lived for 45 minutes after being delivered by Caesarean section at Wordsley Hospital, near Stourbridge. 'I don't know whether to be confused, upset or angry,' Ms James said.

Victor Round, the coroner, told the hearing that a post- mortem examination had revealed nothing wrong with the foetus. He adjourned the inquest to allow the baby to be buried.