El Salvadorian Woman Is Dying Because She’s Been Denied The Abortion That Would Save Her Life

[Judi Lynn]

El Salvadorian Woman Is Dying Because She’s Been Denied The Abortion That Would Save Her Life

By Tara Culp-Ressler on May 13, 2013 at 12:20 pm

Beatriz, a 22-year old El Salvadorian woman who is identified in the press only by her first name, is dying. She suffers from lupus, a chronic auto-immune disease that causes body’s immune system to destroy its own healthy tissue, and her condition typically worsens when she is pregnant. Since Beatriz is now about 23 weeks pregnant, her doctors say she is at “high risk of death” if she continues to carry the fetus — which has no chance of surviving, because several ultrasounds have revealed that it’s missing a big part of its brain and skull. If the deeply conservative El Salvadorian government has its way, however, neither Beatriz nor her baby will survive.

In El Salvador, abortion is illegal under all circumstances — without even a narrow medical exception to save the woman’s life — and punishable by up to 30 years in prison. So even though medical professionals agree that an abortion is necessary to save Beatriz’s life, they can’t actually administer the procedure because they’re too afraid of the legal consequences in the Catholic-dominated country.

El Salvador’s attorney general could grant Beatriz and her doctors protection from prosecution, but he has so far refused to do so. Without any other legal options available to her, Beatriz’s case has made it all the way up to El Salvador’s Supreme Court, which is currently considering whether to grant her permission to receive the health care that will keep her alive. But as those deliberations stretch on, the ultimate decision may come too late for Beatriz.

Fifteen different doctors from the National Maternity Hospital first determined that Beatriz needed a life-saving abortion back when she was 13 weeks pregnant — which was ten weeks ago. She is being forced to keep waiting while the nation’s highest court considers the forensic evidence in her case. Instead of issuing a final decision, the Supreme Court ordered further testing last week, recommending that Beatriz continue with her pregnancy and see what happens. “The delays are unconscionable,” an Amnesty International spokesperson told Al Jazeera.

More:
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/05/13/2001191/beatriz-abortion-el-salvador/

[get the red out]

1. I guess they want to keep up with Ireland

I'm sure her death will get them a special thumbs up from the Catholic Church.

[Catherina]

2. The court's are hearing her case today

I hope the courts do the right thing here

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) - El Salvador's Supreme Court heard opening arguments Wednesday in a landmark abortion case in which a woman suffering from kidney failure and lupus has not been allowed to terminate a pregnancy in which the fetus is given no chance of surviving.

The Central American country's laws prohibit all abortions, even when a woman's health is at risk. At present, the woman and any doctor who terminated her 23-week pregnancy would face arrest and criminal charges.

Supporters gathered outside the court building where the case of the 22-year-old woman, who for privacy reasons has been identified only as "Beatriz," is being heard. Court spokesman Jaime Marinero said the five-justice panel had begun hearing arguments but it was not known when it would issue a ruling.

...

Ultrasound images, meanwhile, indicate the fetus is developing with only a brain stem, a condition known as anencephaly. Most babies born with anencephaly live only a few days.
...

http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_306481/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=DvgsNh4b