Infanticide
Infanticide (or infant homicide) is the intentional killing of infants.
Parental infanticide researchers have found that mothers are far more likely than fathers to be the perpetrators of neonaticide and slightly more likely to commit infanticide in general.
Anthropologist Laila Williamson notes that "Infanticide has been practiced on every continent and by people on every level of cultural complexity, from hunter gatherers to high civilizations, including our own ancestors. Rather than being an exception, then, it has been the rule."
In many past societies, certain forms of infanticide were considered permissible. [1]
In the United States, there is an ongoing debate in multiple states legislature that allows full term pregnancy abortion or infanticide, which has recently been passed as lawful when representing the right of the birth mother to make the decision whether her baby should be killed, at the time when she has just given birth to a breathing or potentially viable infant.
Full Term Abortion
Currently, federal law makes it legal to abort babies into the ninth month of pregnancy.
While some states have restrictions on abortion, all states permit abortion into the ninth month for certain exceptions. Eight states and Washington, D.C., allow abortion until birth for any reason (Alaska, Colorado, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and New York).
The preborn child in the United States does not have any rights until he or she exits a woman’s body.[2]
- Alaska
- Colorado
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- Oregon
- Vermont
- New York
- Plus, the District of Columbia