Sherri Finkbine
Encyclopedia
Sherri Finkbine 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 Europe
an 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.
(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, the hospital at which she planned to have the abortion performed, wary of the publicity, sought assurance that it would not be prosecuted. When such assurance was not forthcoming, the 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. She also lost her job at the TV station.
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.
The Swedish obstetrician who performed the abortion told Finkbine that the fetus had no legs and only one arm and would not have survived. It was too badly deformed to be identified as a boy or a girl. In 1965, Finkbine had another baby, a healthy girl.
The incident became a made-for-TV movie in 1992, A Private Matter
, with Sissy Spacek
in the leading role.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television actress.
Finkbine was known as Miss Sherri on the local Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, version of the franchised children's show, Romper Room
Romper Room
Romper Room is a children's television series that ran in the United States from 1953 to 1994 as well as at various times in Australia, Canada, Japan, Puerto Rico, New Zealand and the United Kingdom...
. The Finkbine Case began in London, England in 1961, when her husband was chaperoning sixty-four high school students on a Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an tour. He obtained some Thalidomide
Thalidomide
Thalidomide was introduced as a sedative drug in the late 1950s that was typically used to cure morning sickness. In 1961, it was withdrawn due to teratogenicity and neuropathy. There is now a growing clinical interest in thalidomide, and it is introduced as an immunomodulatory agent used...
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 fetusFetus
A fetus is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate after the embryonic stage and before birth.In humans, the fetal stage of prenatal development starts at the beginning of the 11th week in gestational age, which is the 9th week after fertilization.-Etymology and spelling variations:The...
(es) within her to become deformed while in utero
In utero
In utero is a Latin term literally meaning "in the womb". In biology, the phrase describes the state of an embryo or fetus. In legal contexts, the phrase is used to refer to unborn children. Under common law, unborn children are still considered to exist for property transfer purposes.-See also:*...
. Finkbine's physician strongly recommended that she obtain a therapeutic abortion
Therapeutic abortion
Therapeutic abortion is abortion induced following a medical diagnosis. Many therapeutic abortions are performed today, with some degree of controversy regarding the quality of life, if there is a genetic condition in the embryo or fetus which is incompatible with life Therapeutic abortion is...
, 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, the hospital at which she planned to have the abortion performed, wary of the publicity, sought assurance that it would not be prosecuted. When such assurance was not forthcoming, the 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. She also lost her job at the TV station.
Swedish abortion
Finkbine attempted to go to Japan to obtain the abortion, but was denied a visa by the Japanese Consul. She and her husband then flew to SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
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.
The Swedish obstetrician who performed the abortion told Finkbine that the fetus had no legs and only one arm and would not have survived. It was too badly deformed to be identified as a boy or a girl. In 1965, Finkbine had another baby, a healthy girl.
The incident became a made-for-TV movie in 1992, A Private Matter
A Private Matter
A Private Matter is a 1992 film made for television drama based on the true 1962 story of Sherri Finkbine, a resident of Phoenix, Arizona in the first trimester of her fifth pregnancy...
, with Sissy Spacek
Sissy Spacek
Sissy Spacek is an American actress and singer. She came to international prominence for her for role as Carrie White in Brian De Palma's 1976 horror film Carrie for which she earned her first Academy Award nomination...
in the leading role.