Catholic medics and human rights
Poland - Many medical workers may soon be ethically challenged by a decision made in Europe's Court of Human Rights regarding a woman who had been refused an abortion there.
Although under communism abortion was available, it is only allowed, in this largely Catholic country, if a mother’s or unborn child’s health is threatened, or if the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest. A spokesperson for the Polish Federation for Women and Family Planning said that only around 200 legal abortions are performed annually there.
When the already visually-impaired woman, who lives on a disability allowance, became pregnant with her third child, eye specialists were said to have advised that her sight was at serious risk. However, a termination was not authorised by them, nor by a gynaecologist.
Her hope is that the European Court of Human Rights will rule that her rights have been violated
01.03.2006
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