To apply it to anencephalic fetuses requires a further, and much more dubious, step.

That procedure was carried out on June 3 the anencephalic newborn died five hours later.

In the case of an anencephalic fetus, no such development is possible. It cannot become a rational being.

(e) A ban on the removal of organs of minors, from adults who are legally incapable, and from anencephalic infants

And how did it benefit the anencephalic infant to have another couple of months of life in utero, and then five hours of life outside?

It is also worth mentioning the debate that arose in Brazilian society concerning judicial authorization to interrupt voluntarily the pregnancy in case of an anencephalic fetus.

In countries with prenatal screening and liberal abortion laws, anencephaly has become very rare, because almost all women who are told that they are carrying an anencephalic fetus choose to terminate the pregnancy.

One point overlooked in the discussion of Beatriz s case is that the same Catholic natural law theory that insists that killing an innocent human being is always wrong also provides a basis for arguing that it is not wrong to kill an anencephalic fetus.

Aborting an anencephalic fetus ends a life that may be human, insofar as it is the life of a member of the species Homo sapiens but it is a life that will have zero well being, for the infant (if it lives) will be incapable of enjoying anything.