USA: ‘Fetal anomaly’ pregnancy blog is revealed as a hoax

Anti-abortion groups are calling for the return of money donated to a blogger claiming to be continuing with a pregnancy despite knowing that her baby would not survive.

The blogger was not pregnant and after the swaddled ‘baby’ she posed with was seen to be a doll, the hoax was revealed.

Having posted throughout the pregnancy, and about the ‘birth’ and ‘death’ of the fictional baby, the blog had a million hits. It was interspersed with Biblical quotes, paid-for advertising with a Christian music soundtrack, and linked to from many anti-abortion websites. T-shirts connected with the blog were sold to raise money, although the hoaxer says she did not solicit donations.

The story is told at length here:

Heroine of the anti-abortion lobby is exposed as a fantasist. Independent, 17 June 2009