Sherri Finkbine

Sherri Finkbine (born Sherri Chessen in 1932) is an American television actress.

Finkbine was known as Miss Sherri on the local Phoenix, Arizona, version of the franchised children's show, "Romper Room". The "Finkbine Case" began in London, England in 1961, when her husband was chaperoning sixty-four high school students on a European tour. He obtained some Thalidomide and carried the remainder home. Finkbine took thirty-six of the pills in the early stages of her pregnancy. Neither she nor her husband was aware, until July 1962, that the pills contained Thalidomide.

Abortion controversy

In 1962, when Finkbine was pregnant with her fifth child, she had been taking Thalidomide, a drug which if taken by a pregnant woman, causes the fetus(es) within her to become deformed while in utero. Finkbine's physician strongly recommended that she obtain a therapeutic abortion, the only type of abortion that was permitted in Arizona at the time. Finkbine contacted a friend at a local newspaper to tell the friend her story, so that other women who were taking Thalidomide would be warned. Following the paper's publication of Finkbine's story, her scheduled abortion was canceled. When Finkbine's physician asked for a court order to proceed with the abortion, Finkbine and her husband became public figures, receiving letters and phone calls in opposition to her requested abortion. A few letters included death threats, and the FBI was brought in to protect her.

wedish abortion

Finkbine attempted to go to Japan to obtain the abortion, but was denied a visa by the Japanese Consul. [ [http://www2.hu-berlin.de/sexology/GESUND/ARCHIV/SEN/CH05.HTM Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin ] ] She and her husband then flew to Sweden where she obtained a successful and legal abortion, which caused a minor controversy. The abortion panel of the Royal Swedish Medical Board granted Finkbine's request for an abortion on August 17, 1962, to safeguard her "mental health". The operation was performed the following day."Mrs. Finkbine Undergoes Abortion In Sweden", New York Times, August 19, 1962,pg. 69.]

The Swedish obstetrician who performed the abortion told Finkbine that the fetus had no legs and only one arm and would not have survived. Finkbine had another baby soon after, a healthy girl.

The incident became a made-for-TV movie in 1992, "A Private Matter", with Sissy Spacek in the title role.

References

External links

* [http://www.trivia-library.com/c/where-are-they-now-pro-abortion-sherri-finkbine.htm Where are they Now Entry]
* [http://www.doney.net/aroundaz/celebrity/celebrity_f.htm Celebrity Sightings Entry]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/26/newsid_3039000/3039322.stm BBC News Entry]
* [http://jcgi.pathfinder.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,952081,00.html Time.com Entry]

Pro-Finkbine

* [http://www.feminist.org/roevwade/roe_illegal.asp Feminist.org Entry]

Anti-Finkbine

* [http://www.cwfa.org/familyvoice/2003-01/AbortionAmerica_January_February.pdf CWFA Entry]