After nine obstetricians left the hospital during the past 13 months in the midst of claims of maltreatment by senior staff and a hostile working environment in the Canberra Hospital, a late-term abortion for a baby was done, who was later born healthy. ABC Television reported that nine obstetricians, including four registrars have left the hospital.

"When you've only half finished your training, you don't have a qualification ticket and you are at risk of never getting your qualification ticket if you walk away from a training program. So things must be a pretty difficult for a registrar to do that'', said Dr. Foote.

As some of the experienced obstetricians are not prepared to work there, Canberra's biggest hospital might not be able to staff its new maternity unit.

Canberra mother Fiona Vanderhook, was informed that her fetus had died at five weeks and the legal action had been censored. A senior obstetrician at Canberra Hospital continued to press her to terminate the baby.