TD claims woman refused abortion at Portiuncula Hospital

A pregnant woman who was told that the baby she was carrying had only a 15% chance of delivery and might only live an hour was refused an abortion at Portiuncula Hospital recently, a TD has claimed this week.

Speaking in the Dail on Tuesday, Deputy Ruth Coppinger said she had been contacted by the woman, ‘Mary’, who subsequently travelled to England for a termination.

"She had a scan in Portiuncula Hospital and the obstetrician told her that there was a muchal translucency with fluid around the neck of 8 to 9 mm and possible Edwards syndrome. She was told there was only 15% chance of delivery and the baby might live an hour or so.
"However, the doctor then said, for whatever reason, that nothing could be done, as she was over 12 weeks. Mary was handed the names of three hospitals in England. By the way, she also said a staff member had treated her like a leper after this point.
“She later rang the HSE and was directed to University Hospital Galway where, despite a GP telephoning and apparently making an arrangement for a scan, a doctor told her on arrival that there was no one there to see her and that she would not get to the second trimester.

"At that stage, she and her husband had had enough. They walked out and within hours had made an appointment to travel to England. Of course, it would have been at great expense, in having to have children looked after, making work arrangements etc. Mary said to me: 'I would lose my head if I had to continue this pregnancy, but Ireland will do nothing for me'.

"...Why can a pregnant person in another country sit down with a doctor, get all of the facts and then come to a decision with her family? In this country why is a distinction made between fatal and severe abnormalities that is not made in other countries?"

Responding to Deputy Coppinger, the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that the Oireachtas members decided that "disability would not be grounds for a termination after 12 weeks".

The Taoiseach also stated that the provision of abortion services will take time to "develop and evolve".

"Unfortunately, it may not be up to scratch for some women and patients now but we will see to it that it improves and evolves as it is developed."
When contacted by the Offaly Independent, the HSE said that it could not comment on individual cases.