From Raw Story: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/10/the-savita-halappanavar-case-judicial-inquiry-told-abortion-refusal-was-catholic-thing/
By Agence France-Presse
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
An Irish inquest into the death of a pregnant Indian woman who was allegedly denied a termination heard from a witness Tuesday who said an abortion was refused due to a Roman Catholic ethos.
Savita Halappanavar, a 31-year-old dentist originally from India, died in a hospital in Galway, on the west coast of Ireland, last October after suffering a miscarriage.
She was 17 weeks pregnant and miscarrying when she went to Galway University Hospital on October 21, complaining of backache.
During evidence on the opening day Monday, her husband Praveen said his wife, a Hindu, repeatedly requested that doctors terminate the pregnancy when it was clear the pregnancy was not viable but they refused because there was still a foetal heartbeat.
In evidence Tuesday, family friend Mrudala Vasepalli recalled being present when Savita asked if anything could be done to save her baby, and when told there was not, requested if anything could speed up the inevitable.
“We don’t do that here, dear. It’s a Catholic thing,” Vasepalli recalls being told by the midwife.
Continue reading at: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/10/the-savita-halappanavar-case-judicial-inquiry-told-abortion-refusal-was-catholic-thing/
