First Abortion Under New Law

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31376, 23 May 1967, Page 6

First Abortion Under New Law

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) DENVER, May 22. A rape victim suffering what her doctor described as "acute reactive depression," has become the first person to undergo an abortion legalised under a recent Colorado law, United Press International reported. Officials at Presbyterian medical centre said the operation on the Denver woman was performed last week under the rape and incest section of the controversial law, enacted last month by the Colorado Legislature. Hospital officials said the District Attorney, Floyd Mark’s ruling that the woman was raped enable doctors to perform the abortion. The woman, in her 30s, was attacked on April 2, and her doctor said she became pregnant

The doctor said the woman suffered “acute reactive depression” since the rape. Both the victim and her husband signed statements requesting the abortion, Mr Marks said. “Therapeutic abortion is indicated to relieve in part this depression ... and because of obvious social consequences if pregnancy is not interrupted,” the doctor said. A board of five doctors at the hospital approved the operation under the provisions of the law.

A second abortion will be performed within the next few days on a 12-year-old Denver girl described as “borderline retarded,” who was raped on March 11. Dr. David L. Cowen, the Denver Manager of Health and Hospitals, said a threedoctor board approved the abortion for the girt yesterday. The doctors examining the giri decided she would qualify for an abortion under a section of the law providing for such operations if a birth would likely cause permanent mental or physical damage to the mother. During the law’s stormy trip through the state legislature, opponents said it would make Colorado “the abortion mecca of America.” Supporters said it would help reduce an estimated 5000 deaths to mothers each year from illegal abortions in the United States.