CFM publishes resolution prohibiting the use of potassium chloride in abortion

The Federal Council of Medicine (CFM) published this Wednesday (3) a resolution that prohibits the performance of fetal asystole – a procedure that causes the death of babies in the mother’s womb with the use of potassium chloride applied to the heart – for the carrying out an abortion. This is the resolution No. 2,378/24 published in the Official Gazette of the Union (DOU).

Approval of the text was confirmed to the People’s Gazette by the rapporteur of the CFM resolution, Raphael Câmara, on March 21st. He is former Secretary of Primary Health at the Ministry of Health under former president Jair Bolsonaro.

“Our resolution was approved and, with pride, I was the rapporteur at the CFM, which prohibits fetal asystole, killing babies even at nine months old with potassium chloride in the heart. CFM defends life”, said Câmara.

The text of the resolution highlights articles from the Federal Constitution, the Penal Code and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which reinforce the “inviolable right to life is that no one will be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment”.

An excerpt from the American Convention on Human Rights is also cited, which says that “a person is every human being, and every person has the right to have their life respected, a right that must be protected by law and, in general, from the moment of conception. No one can be arbitrarily deprived of their life.”

Article 1 of the resolution provides that:

“The doctor is prohibited from carrying out the fetal asystole procedure, a medical act that causes feticide, prior to pregnancy termination procedures in cases of abortion provided for by law, that is, a fetus resulting from rape, when there is a probability of survival of the fetus at gestational age above 22 weeks”

CFM Resolution No. 2,378/24

The CFM’s decision comes after the Ministry of Health published a technical note that authorized abortion in cases of rape for up to nine months, with the possibility of fetal asystole. Amid criticism of the measure, the note was revoked.

Abortion is a crime in Brazil, but it is not punished in cases of pregnancy resulting from rape, risk of death for the mother, or when the baby is diagnosed with anencephaly.

>> Our convictions: Defense of life from conception

Fetal asystole

In a video published by the pro-life NGO Live Action, American obstetrician Patti Giebink, who performed abortions and regretted it, gives details of what the abortion procedure is like when the fetus is six months old and older. The original video can be found at abortionprocedures.com or this YouTube link.

According to her, it all starts with a medication that causes the lining of the uterus to degenerate, depriving the fetus of vital nutrients and oxygen. Afterwards, the child is injected with a drug, which is used to treat heart problems, but in higher doses causes fetal cardiac arrest.

“A long needle is inserted through the woman’s abdomen or vagina,” says Patti. “For the drug to be more effective, the doctor can also inject digoxin directly into the fetus, targeting the body, heart, or umbilical vein. Potassium chloride can also be used to induce fetal death more immediately,” she adds.

The fetus usually dies within 24 hours of injecting the drug. Death is typically confirmed by ultrasound before the procedure begins. On the second day, according to the doctor, the woman receives misoprostol orally or vaginally, so that she goes into labor. When the fetus and placenta are expelled, and the bleeding is under control, the abortion is considered complete.

Pro-life parliamentarians praise resolution

Parliamentarians, who are part of the pro-life bench in the National Congress, celebrate the publication of the CFM resolution.

“Historic day for the defense of life: Resolution 2378/24 was published today in the Official Gazette of the Union, which PROHIBITS killing babies over 22 weeks of gestation through the application of sodium chloride to the heart (fetal asystole). Congratulations to CFM for defending life!” wrote deputy Diego Garcia (Republicanos/PR).

As soon as she learned of the approval of the resolution, Senator Damares Alves (Republicans/DF) celebrated the initiative. “We have to celebrate the CFM resolution. Anyone who follows me knows about my fight against abortion. And faced with a scenario in which we have a government committed to the general liberation of the death of babies in their mothers’ wombs, we have to celebrate every victory like this”, said the senator in a speech in the plenary.

To Gazeta do Povo, Damares informed that he led “a group of parliamentarians who went to the CFM to express support for the Resolution”. “We already knew that the CFM was going to discuss the topic in assembly,” he said.

Senator Eduardo Girão (Novo-CE) highlighted that the resolution is a “victory of life”. “A decision for the two lives of mothers and children – which expresses the CFM’s responsibility to follow science as an instrument that advances daily, in favor of life from conception and for mental health, since the psychological consequences of abortion are indisputable”, said the parliamentarian who also participated in a meeting with the CFM about the resolution.