Don't count your babies before they hatch
Friday, February 23, 2007
I refer to the article
Japan's first 'baby hatch' has labour pain on Channelnewsasia.com (
link to article).
The article writes about the plan of a Roman Catholic hospital in Kumamoto to create the first 'baby hatch' in Japan, where parents can drop off their unwanted infants anonymously to be cared for by the hospital. This is a bid to increase the birth rate in Japan. However, the conservative Japanese government are concerned about the implications of the baby hatch, even though they have found no legal reason to block the move.
Reflection
Should Japan open a baby hatch? The idea of a baby hatch was conceived in the light of Japan’s low birth rate, which is partly caused by pregnant women who abort because they do not feel prepared for motherhood. The baby hatch will give such women the option of delivering the baby before placing it in the baby hatch, instead of resorting to abortion or infanticide to escape the responsibilities of motherhood. When the baby reaches a certain age, the hospital will then find foster parents for him.
This idea by Jikei Hospital in Kumamoto represents a concerted Japanese effort in trying to increase the birth rate of Japan. Indeed, it is one that Singapore can always adopt, if our plans to bring up birth rates fail. Our government has tried many methods to change our low birth rate, including implementing the ‘baby bonuses’, which provides financial aid for parents in bringing their child up. However, some unprepared couples would rather go ahead with the abortion than take the money, which many feel is not enough even to raise the child for a few years.
Despite the advantages, the Japanese government is cautious about the plan. Afterall, one must also consider the feelings of the born baby. Even with a foster family, the child may grow up disillusioned with life, thinking that his biological parents did not want him. The baby hatch may also encourage unprepared mothers to be flippant about the pregnancy, with the knowledge that when she delivers, she will not have to care for the baby.
However, I support the baby hatch.
Speaking as someone who has watched gruesome abortion videos during science lessons, I feel that abortion is as immoral as abandonment, if less criminal. Going by a theory that fetuses are living things and can feel pain, it is also much more cruel. Despite being a mere surgical procedure on the mother’s side, it is the brutal murder of a defenseless creature. The baby hatch is an opportunity for the baby to find foster parents under the hospital's scheme, and to begin a new life under them. Of course, population-wise, one baby hatch will not increase the birth rate much, but if it becomes a practice to follow for other hospitals in the country, Japan might have their desired birth rate in a couple of decades’ time.
Having said all these, I am merely making assumptions on how the unprepared parents, or a grown up product of the baby hatch would feel. As someone living in a country where the baby hatch is not implemented, I can only assume the benefits it would bring to the country it is located in. However, this article introduced me to it, and also reminded me of how we should be finding ways and means to get around the stark underpopulation that Singapore faces. Using money and financial incentives is after all not the only way to solve things, and neither is it the most feasible one.
(498 words)
References
Well, well. I finished it. I trimmed a 700 word article into this! Hopefully the essence hasn't been compromised. I think my chang wen suo duan skills have been considerably honed! Bring on the Chinese CT!
give me a good grade pleeeease! 10:02 PM
words
Sunday, February 4, 2007
I know that words can kill a person. Or worse - get him sued.
So I'm going to remain politically correct.
give me a good grade pleeeease! 9:02 PM