“My Foetus” Shows Need for Informed Consent
Christian Heritage NZ leader Ewen McQueen said the “My Foetus” documentary broadcast on TV1 showed the need for more
information to be provided to women considering an abortion. He said it was unacceptable that it was left to a
television documentary to display the basic facts about what abortion was – the ending of the life of an unborn child –
not just a choice. He said
“This documentary simply showed the facts that should be provided to all women considering an abortion. We require
informed consent for all other medical procedures. For abortion, informed consent must mean that women are given the
full facts about foetal development and what actually happens doing an abortion procedure.”
The CHNZ leader said Christian Heritage NZ would introduce a Pregnancy Information Act to require all women considering
an abortion to be provided with information on foetal development, and the physical and psychological side-effects of
abortion. CHNZ would also introduce an Abortion Informed Consent Act to require abortion counselling to be independent
and include coercion screening. A “cooling off” period would also be required. McQueen said,
“Legislation such as this must be included as part of any serious strategy aimed at reducing abortion in New Zealand.
They are important steps towards the ultimate goal of establishing full legal protection for New Zealand’s unborn
children.”