The wording of the law legalizes abortion if it exists as a result of suicide threat to the mother
The President of Ireland , Michael D. Higgins , confirmed today the signing protocol with the new abortion law , which legalizes the termination of a pregnancy when the mother's life is in danger , including the threat of suicide . After studying the document for a week, the president , whose post is largely representative stamped his signature on the first law of abortion that this country has a Catholic majority, since its founding in 1921 .
During this process , Higgins attended the Council of State , composed , among others, by former prime ministers , presidents and members of the judiciary. All parties agreed that the so-called Law of Protection of Life During Pregnancy 2013 complies with the contents of the Constitution which defends the right to life of both the mother and the unborn.
In case of doubt as to its constitutionality , the president, a historic Labour Party , could have sent the text to the Supreme Court to submit to an examination , which would have significantly delayed its entry into force .
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From today , the law drafted by the coalition government between the Conservatives and Labour allows abortion when the mother's life is at risk "real and substantial" , which includes also the threat of suicide . His critics , however , consider it one of the most restrictive in Europe , it prohibits , for example , the termination of pregnancy in cases of rape or when the fetus has abnormalities.
For decades , abortion has been illegal in this country except when the mother's life was at risk, but only vaguely gathered in the Constitution and was , moreover, subject to the interpretation of the doctors, who usually refused to terminate pregnancies for fear of legal consequences or religious convictions.
The new law establishes more clearly in which cases shall be permitted abortion when the mother's life is in danger and includes the controversial suicide clause , which , according to the most conservative , open the door to the " abortions to the letter " .
Even with these constraints , the Government is confident that will slow the bleeding of women each year , nearly 4,000 according to official travel to the UK to have an abortion and not repitancasos like Halappanavar Savita , Indian women Irish died in hospital after being denied an abortion despite her pregnancy problematic.
Savita , 31 and 17 weeks pregnant , died on October 28, 2012 of septicemia in hospital in Galway ( west of Ireland) , after doctors refused to perform an abortion after claiming he was in a "country Catholic " and the law prevented while the fetal heart beat , although the woman's condition worsened.
From now on , interruptions of pregnancy in cases not considered "emergency" will be practiced gynecology units of public health service , after two doctors certify that a " real and substantial risk " to the life of the mother .
If it is an emergency, one doctor can decide whether to have an abortion to save the life of the pregnant woman. Doctors can refuse to perform an abortion for " conscientious objection" , although the hospital will have to offer pregnancy termination in appropriate cases .
On the issue of suicide , the law states that a committee of three experts , comprising two psychiatrists and an obstetrician , measured by a history and interviews the state of physical and mental health of the mother. If experts give green light, will the mother who decides to go ahead with a break , but if it is denied she will be the only one able to appeal the decision before another medical composed three other experts .
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