Hospital allows women to die rather than perform an abortion

[anveena]

So doctors followed the law and a woman died from it. Well, it sounds like Ireland should change their laws if they don't want this happening again.

[Deleted]

Exactly, what was causing it? I don't know, you don't know. The article doesn't say (and neither will any article since it's in breach of patient privacy). You're all jumping to conclusions based on facts that you don't know.

If she was in pain, I'm sure it was because of her baby, I mean, she died because of blood poisoning, right? And what gave her that, the dead baby, right? I have no idea if so, but, for me, it seems common sense that she was in pain because of the baby and that her asking for abortion was a plausible choice.

Was abortion the best or only option? Was that clear to the doctor? Would the same mistake be made in another hospital where the country allowed abortions whenever someone asked for them? We simply don't know and it's unfair for everyone to quickly jump in and blame religion.

I agree that abortion isn't the best way and it should be used as a last case scenario only and I think it was, somehow, clear to the doctor that the baby had something wrong, maybe he/she thought it didn't and didn't do necessary tests to see if everything was fine or not, if he/she didn't, he/she should have had.

I understand why everyone is upset and agree that it is extremely sad but at the end of the day, the blame lies with the doctors, not the religious beliefs of the majority of the country.

I blame the law, not the doctor or the religion.

[stuck4cash]

Could it be...possibly....the miscarriage?

Miscarriage often doesn't result in the death of the mother and would not be reason to abort the child when the body does it naturally.

[Spectral]

I blame the law, not the doctor or the religion.

I can see an argument for absolving the doctor of blame. I can see no possible argument for placing absolutely no blame on the religion, which is what caused the law to be this way in the first place.

edit - This isn't intended to be "bashing". It just seems pretty clear what the root cause is here.

[smelltheglove]

Exactly, what was causing it? I don't know, you don't know. The article doesn't say

actually we DO know. and the article DOES say it. the cervix was fully dilated, amniotic fluid leaking, etc. it's called labor, which this early in the pregnancy is called a miscarriage. labor hurts

she might have had other undisclosed pain, but id think labor pains qualify for some kind of action at 17 weeks

[Rukentuts]

Miscarriage often doesn't result in the death of the mother and would not be reason to abort the child when the body does it naturally.

I present Exhibit A, the woman's corpse.

[Pendulous]

I was using an example to show that you were clearly jumping to unfounded conclusions (the pain was in her back by the way which given she was so heavily pregnant would indicate trouble with the baby but it's also not uncommon for gastro to cause similar pain. Hope you don't abort kids every time a mother rocks up at the hospital with indigestion).

It was a miscarriage. So there's no baby.

So why not abort a dead baby? I don't get it.

[Decagon]

At the very least they need to lose their medical licenses. "Do no harm" my ass.

I don't think you understand, they didn't decide to not abort because it was against their views. They didn't abort because it was against the LAW. Your punishment would result in jailtime and losing their medical licenses in virtually every decision the doctors could have made.

[Deleted]

I can see an argument for absolving the doctor of blame. I can see no possible argument for placing absolutely no blame on the religion, which is what caused the law to be this way in the first place.

Yes, true, religion is partially to be blamed here, but the government should know better. :/

[joeyflop]

abortion is illegal in Ireland?

[Chaochamp]

I blame the law, not the doctor or the religion.

The religion influences the law.

Another great example of why religion should stay out of government; I hope they are able to sue.

[Spectral]

Yes, true, religion is partially to be blamed here, but the government should know better. :/

I agree, this is ultimately more on the government than on anyone's individual religious beliefs. It's a government's responsibility to institute the best possible policies, and they've clearly failed miserably here.

[starlord]

It was a miscarriage. So there's no baby.

So why not abort a dead baby? I don't get it.

the doctors had to wait for it to slowly die on its own inside of her before they could remove it.

[Decagon]

I was using an example to show that you were clearly jumping to unfounded conclusions (the pain was in her back by the way which given she was so heavily pregnant would indicate trouble with the baby but it's also not uncommon for gastro to cause similar pain. Hope you don't abort kids every time a mother rocks up at the hospital with indigestion).

To my knowledge, Majad doesn't abort babies. It doesn't matter what type of pain she was feeling if it was anything at all beyond the normal pain, pain indicates something is wrong, and when something is wrong, it's a doctors job to do something about it (unless of course the law prevents them from doing something about it).

[Deleted]

the doctors had to wait for it to slowly die on its own inside of her before they could remove it.

I don't know anything about this matter, but if the baby will die, why not just remove it to stop the woman from having problems later?

[Decagon]

Perhaps then, the law will be changed to allow for such circumstances after this tragedy?

I worry that I won't be.

[semaphore]

The problem wasn't this, the problem was that the law didn't allow the doctors to abort otherwise, I'm sure, that they would have aborted.

A doctor who consciously decided to let a patient die in order to cover their own hides is also pretty appalling. Hiding behind despicably broken laws is no defense.

[dapperedodo]

This just plain wrong. Why are there in western countries still laws that got outdated long time ago looking at western standards. I support abortion for medical reasons and caused by rape. So letting someone die cause they refuse abortion for retarded reasons is just a murder.

I at 1st thought this was another stupid thing that happened in the USA for stupid reasons but no it's even closer to home.

[Decagon]

I don't know anything about this matter, but if the baby will die, why not just remove it to stop the woman from having problems later?

This where the law comes in, the doctors informed her that they couldn't do anything until the baby's heart stopped beating completely, it didn't matter if the baby was going die or not, it mattered if the heart was still beating.

[Rukentuts]

I don't think you understand, they didn't decide to not abort because it was against their views. They didn't abort because it was against the LAW. Your punishment would result in jailtime and losing their medical licenses in virtually every decision the doctors could have made.

Doctors can lose their licenses for things that aren't illegal.