20.12.12

Somewhere in Ireland....


Protests over the death of Karnataka-born dentist Savita Halappanavar due to pregnancy-related complications has forced Catholic Ireland to tweak its no-abortion policy to allow termination of pregnancy in cases where the mother’s life is in danger.
The Irish government said it would bring a legislation with the change soon. The move comes seven weeks after the death of Savita, 31, who was refused a termination of pregnancy in a Galway hospital. She was 17 weeks pregnant and doctors rejected her pleas for an abortion. Savita, who was suffering a miscarriage, died of septicaemia three days after she pleaded for an abortion. Savita’s husband said doctors had told her they could do nothing because “Ireland is a Catholic country”.
Abortion is banned in Ireland as per a papal diktat. Dublin’s decision is, therefore, likely to be controversial and will in all probability confront opposition from conservative Catholics. Abortion has historically split Ireland, which fought for and won freedom from predominantly non-Catholic Britain. It has held five referendums on the matter since 1983.

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