Indian woman dies in Ireland after being refused abortion
15 Nov 2012 11:38 PM GMT
A 31-year-old Indian woman dentist died in Ireland from blood poisoning after doctors allegedly refused to terminate her 17 week long pregnancy, telling her that ‘this is a Catholic country’.
Irish authorities have launched a probe into the death of Savita Halappanavar, who was 17 weeks pregnant when she suffered a miscarriage and septicaemia at University Hospital Galway last month, The Irish Times reported on Wednesday. Her husband, Praveen Halappanavar, an engineer at Boston Scientific in Galway, said she asked several times over a three-day period that the pregnancy be terminated.
Having been told she was miscarrying, and after one day in severe pain, Savita asked for a medical termination. This was refused, he says, because the foetal heartbeat was still present and they were told, ‘this is a Catholic country’.
The dead foetus was later removed and Savita was taken to the high dependency unit and then the intensive care unit, where she died of septicaemia on October 28.
‘Savita was really in agony. She was very upset, but she accepted she was losing the baby. Savita asked if they could not save the baby could they induce to end the pregnancy. The consultant said, 'As long as there is a foetal heartbeat we can't do anything',’ her husband was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
Irish authorities have launched a probe into the death of Savita Halappanavar, who was 17 weeks pregnant when she suffered a miscarriage and septicaemia at University Hospital Galway last month, The Irish Times reported on Wednesday. Her husband, Praveen Halappanavar, an engineer at Boston Scientific in Galway, said she asked several times over a three-day period that the pregnancy be terminated.
Having been told she was miscarrying, and after one day in severe pain, Savita asked for a medical termination. This was refused, he says, because the foetal heartbeat was still present and they were told, ‘this is a Catholic country’.
The dead foetus was later removed and Savita was taken to the high dependency unit and then the intensive care unit, where she died of septicaemia on October 28.
‘Savita was really in agony. She was very upset, but she accepted she was losing the baby. Savita asked if they could not save the baby could they induce to end the pregnancy. The consultant said, 'As long as there is a foetal heartbeat we can't do anything',’ her husband was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
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