Virginia Democrat Gov. Ralph Northam Advocates Post-Birth Abortion

VA gov on abortion this morning:

“If a mother is in labor...the infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians & mother" pic.twitter.com/cc15pVLjIQ

— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) January 30, 2019

HOST:…no exceptions. There was a very contentious committee hearing yesterday, when Fairfax County delegate Kathy Tran made her case for lifting restrictions on third trimester abortions as well as other restrictions now in place. And she was pressed by a Republican delegate about whether her bill would permit an abortion even as a woman is essentially dilating, ready to give birth, and she answered that it would permit an abortion at that stage of labor. Do you support her measure and explain her answer.

NORTHAM: I wasn’t there, Julie, and I certainly can’t speak for delgate Tran. But I will tell you, one, the first thing I would say is this is why decisions such as this should be made by providers or physicians and the mothers and fathers that are involved. When we talk about third trimester abortions, these are done with the consent of the mother, with the consent of the physician. More than one physician, by the way. And its done in case where there may be severe deformities, where there may be a fetus that is non-viable.

So, in this particular example, if a mother is in labor I can tell you exactly what would happen. The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.

So, I think this was really blown out of proportion, but again, we want the government not to be involved in these types of decisions. We want the decisions to be made by the mothers and their providers and this is why, Julie, legislators, most of whom are men, by the way, shouldn’t be telling a woman what she should and shouldn’t be doing with her body.

HOST: And do you think multiple physicians should have to weigh in, as is currently required? She is trying to lift that requirement.

NORTHAM: Well, I think it is always good to get a second opinion, and for at least two providers to be involved in that decision because these decisions shouldn’t be taken lightly. So, I’d certainly support more than one provider.