.png)
.jpg)
.png)
El Salvador court denies pregnant woman life-saving abortion
El Salvador’s Supreme Court denies young woman to have an abortion, even though it would save her life while her foetus has almost no chance of survival.
Woman rally in protest against the Supreme Court's decision denying a woman life-saving abortion.
El Salvador's Supreme Court has refused to allow a seriously ill woman, who suffers from lupus and kidney failure, to have an abortion even though her foetus has almost no chance of survival.
Both doctors and lawyers have argued the abortion was necessary to save her life.
"We cannot appeal the case because this was the last step, the Supreme Court," said Victor Hugo Mata, Beatriz's lawyer, in a telephone interview with CBSNews.com, after the decision was taken at 5 p.m. ET.
The mother of one, who goes by the name Beatriz to protect her identity, risks losing her life and that of her unborn baby, because of El Salvador's strict anti-abortion laws.
The 22-year-old woman suffers from severe and complicated illnesses. Her doctors have told her that she will likely die giving birth, and the unborn child will most likely live only a few hours, but she is prevented by law from having an abortion.
"They [the Supreme Court] were not convinced this is the way... they are saying Beatriz is not in danger and she must pursue the natural way of delivery and we must see what happens," said Mata.
"It isn't just an abortion, it is a necessity," said Mata, in an earlier interview with CBSNews.com.
Beatriz has also spoken out about her situation. In a video uploaded on Vimeo she pleads in Spanish, "I don't want to do it but I know the child won't live and I think it is the only way to save my life."
Beatriz is carrying an anencephalic fetus, which means it has no brain and is only expected to survive at maximum a few hours after birth, even if she carries it to full term.
•
If I was her husband I would have already bought a gun and written the name of the judge on the bullet.
•
Misogyny to the point of stupidity. Is it any wonder this is in South America - where right wing fascism has been in power for many decades? Fascism has always been anti-woman, from Mussolini to Hitler, all saw females just as brooding mares for the State. They know the fetus has no brain and will die anyways, yet they wish to see this woman killed too. Her crime - being born female. And what is very disturbing, the Church sanctions this too. I guess all life is sacred, except of course female life.
•
Malta must take action to amend our laws before we find a similar situation facing us. As they stand right now, it is illegal to "cause a miscarriage", and there are no exceptions at all - even if it's a matter of life or death for the woman.
