The Student Room Group

Question about miscarriage and abortion time lines.

Fair play if you want to delete this, mods; it is pretty controversial.

I was just wondering, is it illegal, or in any way punishable (say, for neglect) to knowingly drink enough alcohol when you're pregnant that you miscarry, even if you're well within the legal bracket for an abortion? I'm not suggesting that it should or shouldn't be, and I don't want this to turn into some huge abortion debate because I'm not pregnant and I already have my mind made up. I'm just curious.
Reply 1
There is absolutely no point posting a thread like this if you are looking for a legal answer.
Reply 2
Ethereal
There is absolutely no point posting a thread like this if you are looking for a legal answer.


I don't see why not, someone may know. I'd try the law forum but it's fairly quiet there at the moment.
Reply 3
Thelfo
I don't see why not, someone may know. I'd try the law forum but it's fairly quiet there at the moment.


Because there are likely very few qualified solicitors/barristers using this site and even less of them using H&R. Any legal advice you receive on TSR should be taken with a pinch of salt - you would not believe the rubbish some people post claiming it's the law!!
Reply 4
Ethereal
Because there are likely very few qualified solicitors/barristers using this site and even less of them using H&R. Any legal advice you receive on TSR should be taken with a pinch of salt - you would not believe the rubbish some people post claiming it's the law!!


I'm not hoping for the specific Acts and legislations, but someone may have experience in the matter. A general "probably not" would suffice.
Reply 5
It would depend on the intent. I suppose in theory you could argue if the intent was to achewive an abortion it would be illegal.
Reply 6
Thelfo
Fair play if you want to delete this, mods; it is pretty controversial.

I was just wondering, is it illegal, or in any way punishable (say, for neglect) to knowingly drink enough alcohol when you're pregnant that you miscarry, even if you're well within the legal bracket for an abortion? I'm not suggesting that it should or shouldn't be, and I don't want this to turn into some huge abortion debate because I'm not pregnant and I already have my mind made up. I'm just curious.


it would not be illegal IIRC in other cases where (ii know its slightly different) a man has pushed a woman over, resulting in mc., he cannot be charged with killing the babvy, as there is no law covering unborn babies.

on another point, i diont think alcohol causes abortion?
Reply 7
olibubble
it would not be illegal IIRC in other cases where (ii know its slightly different) a man has pushed a woman over, resulting in mc., he cannot be charged with killing the babvy, as there is no law covering unborn babies.

on another point, i diont think alcohol causes abortion?


Yeh I suspected there'd be no specific law over unborn babies while they can be aborted. I don't know if alcohol results in miscarriage, having never had cause to find out, but it's just an example of what the woman could do, as I didn't want to go into detail about other methods.
Even if it was law, they would have a hell of a time proving if what you did was intentional if you denied it. You could just say, 'I was drunk and drank too much', they dont punnish peopel I belive for smoking or drinking while pregnant.
Reply 9
is a tricky one. there is a case going on in manchester atm of a woman who is suspected of seeking an abortion at 30 weeks. the only proof they have is that she saw a midwife who said she was at least 30 weeks, she is now not pregnant and they diont know what happened. so i think you can be prosecuted for seeking an abortion past 24 weeks, but am unsure about within the legal limit.
Reply 10
bishman
they dont punnish peopel I belive for smoking or drinking while pregnant.



god the amount of women i saw outside the maternity unit of my hospital, who looked full term , and had a cigarette in their hand was shocking!
Reply 11
even if you did drink enough to have a miscarriage the police probably wont find out and even if they do what are they going to do about it? not a lot im guessing. has anyone seen a newspaper article on someone killing a baby in that way and getting in trouble? because i havent
They might have arguement with someone sticking a bullseye target to their pregnent bellies and lining people up for 'coconut shy'.
Reply 13
You could not be done for murder or anything like that because the law states that a person becomes a person when it is born, I think the exact time is when the umbilical cord is cut.

So probably not, although under some other law, I'm unsure.
Reply 14
Carrie1
You could not be done for murder or anything like that because the law states that a person becomes a person when it is born, I think the exact time is when the umbilical cord is cut.

So probably not, although under some other law, I'm unsure.


hmm... how does this affect people who choose to have a lotus birth?
Reply 15
Hey this is a very vague part of the law in my brain but I seem to remember that being the time. Of course, I could be wrong :smile:
Reply 16
Okay, I have looked up a couple of things and there is much arguement on this point though it seems an embryo is not a person and a newborn baby is a person. However, there is much arguement about the grey area inbetween. What about a 6 month year old foetus?

What I wrote above it seems is one arguement. I can't help you out more than that I'm afraid.
I doubt it'd be 'illegal'