One main justifications for such a late termination of pregnancy is that the fetus has a severe genetic defect. A second justification is that the fetus has died. A needle is fed through the woman's abdomen into the liquid that surrounds the fetus. A saline solution, made of salt and water, is passed through the needle. The fetus dies of salt poisoning.
Labor follows, and a dead fetus is delivered.
The salt burns the skin of the fetus. An incision is made in the woman's abdomen and the fetus is removed. They are normally performed in emergency situations where a delivery is posing an extreme danger to the woman. This might be a threat to her life, or might cause her to be seriously injured, perhaps permanently disabled. There is a consensus among physicians and researchers that the fetus is unable to feel pain until the 26th week of gestation.