Baby M

Baby M (14 July 1989 – 26 July 1989) was the pseudonym of an Australian girl named Allison who was born with severe birth defects, whose treatment and eventual death caused significant controversy and international discussion about the medical ethics of disabled newborns. Right to Life activists accused her parents and the hospital of murdering the infant, leading to a lengthy legal inquest.

Baby M

In July 1989, Allison was born at Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne with severe birth defects. She had an extreme case of spina bifida that left her paralysed below the waist, and she had a brain malformation marked by hydrocephalus that meant she was most likely mentally disabled and would have seizures. Within days she developed severe breathing issues.

Neonatal physician Peter Loughnan informed her parents of their daughter's poor outlook and the low quality of life she would face if she survived. He recommended the parents consider a "conservative treatment, in which Allison would be cuddled, fed and relieved of any pain," with no life-saving measures performed. He consulted with other specialists, including fellow neonatal physician Peter McDougall, who "strongly supported" Loughnan's assessment of the infant. They believed any surgery would be futile. However, the doctors and hospital did not present their side to the court or provide evidence to explain their recommendation.

In 1991, a hearing into the Baby M case lasted five months. The Deputy Coroner Wendy Wilmoth ruled that Allison had died of natural causes, and chastised the Right to Life group. "The decisions made by her doctors and her parents, and the careful steps taken to ensure these decisions were legally, ethically and morally sound, have been tested and found entirely reasonable and appropriate," Wilmoth stated.

Later developments In 2010, Allison's parents gave Loughnan and McDougall permission to speak publicly about the case, which they did at a medical ethics conference, "Tackling Ethical Dilemmas in Intensive Care."