Intact D&X is performed in cases of extreme hydorcephaly, when there is no other way to remove the child. In all these cases, the brain is non-existent or too stunted to sustain life because of the volume (up to 2 gallons!) of spinal fluid that can swell the head to the size of a beach ball or greater.
Intact D&X is performed because the other late term option is dismemberment, which causes broken bones that can perforate the woman's uterus.
It's also frequently done on dead fetuses.
My info is from Religious Tolerance.org http://www.religioustolerance.org/abo_pba1.htm#procedure
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branchandroot
Re: You Wanna Play Snark? I Can Play Snark
Date: 2008-08-25 08:08 pm (UTC)Intact D&X is performed because the other late term option is dismemberment, which causes broken bones that can perforate the woman's uterus.
It's also frequently done on dead fetuses.
My info is from Religious Tolerance.org
http://www.religioustolerance.org/abo_pba1.htm#procedure