RTÉ journalist Dyane Connor spoke to Rachel English on Morning Ireland earlier, to discuss the case of the woman whose baby was born by Caesarean section after a panel of experts turned down her request for an abortion.
Neither journalist mentioned that the woman was raped.
Rachel English: “We’re joined by RTE reporter, Dyane Connor. I suppose I should say as well, Dyane, that there are legal restrictions on what we can say about the woman at the centre of this case but what can you tell us about her.”
Dyane Connor: “Yes, there is a court order in place, so she cannot be identified at all, to protect her identity. We do know that she was in her second trimester when she was admitted to hospital, requesting an abortion. Now, as it required under the new legislation which came into effect at the beginning of this year, she was assessed by a panel of three medical experts – two psychiatrists and an obstetrician. I understand it was decided that she did have suicidal thoughts but it was decided not to carry out an abortion, instead to terminate the pregnancy by a Caesarean section. Now when the woman was told of this, she was very upset and she began a hunger and thirst strike. At this point, the HSE went to the high court to get an order, to allow it to hydrate her, because, for a woman to undergo a Caesarean section, I understand, it’s very dangerous if she is dehydrated. Now a further court date was set, subsequently to this, the woman I understand did agree to allow a Caesarean section to be carried out and this was performed when she was either 24th going on her 25th week of pregnancy, the baby was delivered.”
English: “Now this practice if we go back for a moment, this practice, the assessment by a medical panel. This was introduced under the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act, so what happens? How does this work?”
Connor: “Well, once the legislation is called upon, the woman is seen by three medical experts, so you have to psychiatrists who are examining her mental health and then an obstetrician who obviously, in this instance, made the decision that the baby is considered viable, can survive outside the womb. Now an option that was open to the woman, when she was refused an abortion, she could have I suppose asked for a review of this decision which would have meant that a panel of ten medical practitioners are then called upon. This has to be done within, no later than three days, after the initial decision is made. Once the panel has convened to review that decision, they then must make a decision no longer than seven days. Obviously time is of the essence in this case. Now, it’s very important as well to stress that the termination of a pregnancy is the ending of a pregnancy. In the first three months, we would refer to it as an abortion. But in later stages of pregnancy, this termination of a pregnancy can be the delivering of a baby by Caesarean section if an obstetrician believes that the baby is viable.”
English: “As you mention the timeframe here, can we go back over that for a moment because there does appear to be some confusion. Now, it’s reported that the young woman here, that she first asked for an abortion when she was eight weeks’ pregnant. And, yet, some time seems to have passed before she was assessed by this panel of medical experts.”
Connor: “That’s correct. A colleague of mine, Emer Lowe, was also working on this story over the weekend and sources close to this woman say she did find out she was pregnant in her first trimester and that she asked her doctor for an abortion and she claims that she wasn’t given the options that should be open to a woman in a situation like hers. And it was impossible for her to travel abroad for an abortion in her circumstances. But it was her second trimester before she went in to hospital, looking for the abortion.”
English: “What’s known now about how the young woman is and, indeed, how the baby is?”
Connor: “I believe the woman is quite upset and traumatised and the baby was born by Caesarean section and is being cared for and treated in a hospital at the moment, where the baby will remain for the coming months. What happens then is still not clear. But I understand that at the moment, it looks like the baby will be taken into care.”
English: “Dyane, thank you very much indeed.”
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Woman sought abortion at eight weeks (Kitty Holland, Irish Times)
Meanwhile, on the BBC..
Woman denied abortion in Republic of Ireland ‘was raped’ (BBC)
