REGULATIONS ON ABORTION DUE TO BIRTH DEFECTS AS DEEMED APPROPRIATE
This is one of the important contents prescribed at the Circular No. 34/2017/TT-BYT by the Ministry of Health on August 18, 2017 guiding the prenatal and neonatal consultation, screening, diagnosis, and treatment.
In particulars, the abortion will only be considered upon serious abnormality of form and structure of the fetus; abnormality of chromosomes, fetus with molecular genetic disorders due to genetic mutations that no specific therapeutic method is found resulting in high risk of disability after birth. The abortion due to birth defects will be considered upon the written consent of the pregnant woman who has received sufficient consultation from a health worker. A health facility obtaining a property operating license within its specialties approved by the competent authority must hold a medical consultation with related specialties to consider whether to abort the pregnancy.
Medical consultation is composed of specialists with at least 5 years' experience in the following areas of specialization: obstetrics, pediatrics, cardiovascular, medical imaging, testing and pathological anatomy. The medical consultation members may work for departments in the health facility or are invited from other health facilities.
According the medical consultation determinations, the specialized head of the health facility shall consider whether to abort the pregnancy due to the birth defects according the medical consultation determinations.
This Circular takes effect on October 2, 2017 and annuls the Circular No. 34/2016/TT-BYT dated September 21, 2016.
