WARSAW (Poland) — Tuesday’s statement by a Polish hospital stated that doctors and midwives tried their best to save the lives and health of a pregnant woman with a fetus. This case has brought attention to a new restriction in Poland’s abortion laws.
In her 22nd week, the 30-year-old mother died from septic shock. According to a family lawyer, doctors did not perform an abortifaction even though the fetus had no amniotic fluid.
Reproductive rights activists claim she is the first to die from a recent Polish restriction on abortion laws.
The victim, who was identified as Izabela (the woman’s name), died in September. However, her case was made public on Friday. This angered some Poles, and triggered protests in Warsaw and Krakow. In an evening vigil, people lit candles in her honor.
Prior to the new restrictions, abortions were only allowed for women in Poland in three situations: when the pregnancy is the result of a crime such as rape; when the woman’s health is in danger; and in cases where there are severe fetal defects. The Constitutional Tribunal, which was influenced by the conservative ruling party in Poland, decided last year that abortions for congenital problems were not constitutional.
Polish women’s rights activists claim that doctors wait to perform abortions on fetuses with low survival chances.
Tuesday’s statement from the hospital where the woman died stated that they were “joined together in pain” with her family and friends, and that its staff had done all it could to save her and her baby. According to her family lawyer, she had left behind a husband as well as a daughter.
“The only thing that guided the medical procedure was concern about the health and well-being of the patient as well as the fetus.” “Doctors and midwives tried their best, but it was a hard battle for the patient’s health and the child’s life,” stated the statement of the County Hospital in Pszczyna, southern Poland.
The hospital stated that the case is being investigated by prosecutors, but added that all medical decisions were made in accordance with the Polish legal provisions and conduct standards.
Ordo Iuris was a conservative organization that supported the restriction on abortion. It faced accusations of being the one responsible for the woman’s death. Jerzy Kwasniewski was the president of Ordo Iuris. He warned people not to jump to conclusions about what had happened.
Radoslaw Fogiel (a spokesperson for Poland’s conservative ruling parties) said that a woman who is in danger of losing her life has the right to legal terminate her pregnancy under the current law.
Fogiel stated that the ruling Law and Justice party has no plans to make changes to the abortion laws due to this case.