ABSTRACT

In 2017 the Danish Parliament considered introducing baby hatches in Denmark and asked the authors to investigate the extent and causes of child abandonment and various practices and services in relation to prevention of child abandonment in Denmark and other high-income countries. We conducted a literature study and interviewed experts from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Poland, Austria, the UK, and the US. In addition, this article presents original data on child abandonment in Denmark based on a media search and information from police and adoption reports from 2008 to 2018 generated for this specific study. Our study confirms that while child abandonment is a rare event, it still occurs in all countries included in this study. Existing data suggest that the mothers of abandoned children constitute a heterogeneous group; representing a wide span with regard to sociodemographic characteristics and mental health states. The data collected on child abandonment in Denmark show that abandoned infants were most likely delivered outside the hospital without health professional assistance, and a significant risk factor for women abandoning their infant appears to be concealed pregnancy. Addressing the problem of child abandonment, public authorities or private organizations provides measures that make it possible for parents to anonymously surrender babies in 6 of the 10 countries included in the study (Germany, the Netherlands, France, Poland, Austria, and the US). Such measures include baby hatches, safe havens, foundling rooms and anonymous births. The remaining four countries included in the study (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the UK) offer neither baby hatches nor anonymous births. We find no evidence that baby hatches or other measures offering anonymous surrendering of babies save lives. Rather, it seems that they increase the incidence of child abandonment.

摘要

2017 年，丹麦议会考虑在丹麦引入婴儿孵化器，并要求作者调查遗弃儿童的程度和原因，以及丹麦和其他高收入国家与预防遗弃儿童相关的各种做法和服务。我们进行了文献研究，并采访了来自丹麦、瑞典、挪威、德国、荷兰、法国、波兰、奥地利、英国和美国的专家。此外，本文介绍了原创丹麦遗弃儿童的数据基于媒体搜索以及警方提供的信息以及 2008 年至 2018 年为这项特定研究生成的收养报告。我们的研究证实，虽然遗弃儿童是一种罕见事件，但在本研究中的所有国家/地区仍会发生。现有数据表明，被遗弃儿童的母亲构成了一个异质群体；代表广泛的社会人口特征和心理健康状态。在丹麦收集的关于弃婴的数据表明，弃婴很可能是在没有专业医疗人员帮助的情况下在医院外分娩的，而妇女弃婴的一个重要风险因素似乎是隐匿妊娠。解决弃婴问题，公共当局或私人组织提供了措施，使父母可以匿名交出研究中 10 个国家中的 6 个国家（德国、荷兰、法国、波兰、奥地利和美国）的婴儿。这些措施包括婴儿孵化器、安全港、弃婴室和匿名分娩。研究中包括的其余四个国家（丹麦、挪威、瑞典和英国）既不提供婴儿孵化，也不提供匿名出生。我们没有发现婴儿孵化或其他提供匿名投降婴儿的措施可以挽救生命的证据。相反，它们似乎增加了遗弃儿童的发生率。安全港、弃婴室和匿名分娩。研究中包括的其余四个国家（丹麦、挪威、瑞典和英国）既不提供婴儿孵化，也不提供匿名出生。我们没有发现婴儿孵化或其他提供匿名投降婴儿的措施可以挽救生命的证据。相反，它们似乎增加了遗弃儿童的发生率。安全港、弃婴室和匿名分娩。研究中包括的其余四个国家（丹麦、挪威、瑞典和英国）既不提供婴儿孵化，也不提供匿名出生。我们没有发现婴儿孵化或其他提供匿名投降婴儿的措施可以挽救生命的证据。相反，它们似乎增加了遗弃儿童的发生率。