Hundreds of people have called an advice hotline since a Japanese hospital opened a controversial "baby hatch," where seven children have been left anonymously, officials and reports said Thursday.
The Roman Catholic hospital set up the hatch in May in a bid to prevent abortions and unwanted children. It looks like a mailbox with pictures of storks and is modelled on a similar idea in Germany.
Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney Promises to Legalize Abortion
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, on Tuesday in an interview with Nevada television station KLAS
Advertisement
Conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed outrage at the baby drop-off, saying it encourages irresponsibility, but he could find no legal grounds on which stop it being installed.
The hospital has declined to say how many children it has received, but reports said seven have been deposited.
The latest was a week-old boy dropped off last month, Jiji Press and the Yomiuri Shimbun reported.
![Teenage Birthrate Declining in US – Both Abstinence and Awareness Called for to Maintain the Trend]( "Teenage Birthrate Declining in US – Both Abstinence and Awareness Called for to Maintain the Trend")
Teenage birthrate in US has dropped to a 65-year low. Who's behind ameliorating the problem? Champions of comprehensive sex education and abstinence-only advocates are battling it out.
The southern city of Kumamoto, where the hatch is located, said a help hotline it set up on May 7 amid the controversy had received 357 consultations, with 64 people coming in person.
Most callers talked about unexpected pregnancies or difficulties raising children and many of the people seeking advice were from out of town, said municipal official Shinichiro Yamada.
"It seems that there are women all over the country who are troubled with pregnancy. I hope similar hotlines will be set up in other cities very soon," Yamada said.
Abortion is widely accepted in Japan, where adoption outside the extended family is rare. The country is struggling to reverse a decline in population as more young people decide to delay starting families.
Source: AFP
SRM/J
The latest was a week-old boy dropped off last month, Jiji Press and the Yomiuri Shimbun reported.
Teenage Birthrate Declining in US – Both Abstinence and Awareness Called for to Maintain the Trend
Teenage birthrate in US has dropped to a 65-year low. Who's behind ameliorating the problem? Champions of comprehensive sex education and abstinence-only advocates are battling it out.
Advertisement
The southern city of Kumamoto, where the hatch is located, said a help hotline it set up on May 7 amid the controversy had received 357 consultations, with 64 people coming in person.
Most callers talked about unexpected pregnancies or difficulties raising children and many of the people seeking advice were from out of town, said municipal official Shinichiro Yamada.
"It seems that there are women all over the country who are troubled with pregnancy. I hope similar hotlines will be set up in other cities very soon," Yamada said.
Abortion is widely accepted in Japan, where adoption outside the extended family is rare. The country is struggling to reverse a decline in population as more young people decide to delay starting families.
Source: AFP
SRM/J
Advertisement
Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Recommended Readings
Latest General Health News
In India, youth must be aware of the diseases linked to cigarette smoking and tobacco consumption, causing a form of healthcare emergency.
Direct coastal access may represent a viable route to public health promotion, but the relationships of coastal living are not strongest among lower-income groups.
New research by Tinnitus UK has found that over four million gardeners are putting their hearing capacity at risk this summer without using safety protection.
Mucus plugs could be targeted to help reduce fatalities from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The development of reliable curative therapies for multiple sclerosis could significantly reduce the economic burden of the disease on patients and wider society.