Woman dies after being denied medical termination

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2012/1114/1224326575203.html


Two investigations are under way into the death of a woman who was 17 weeks pregnant, at University Hospital Galway last month.
Savita Halappanavar (31), a dentist, presented with back pain at the hospital on October 21st, was found to be miscarrying, and died of septicaemia a week later.
Her husband, Praveen Halappanavar (34), an engineer at Boston Scientific in Galway, says she asked several times over a three-day period that the pregnancy be terminated. He says that, having been told she was miscarrying, and after one day in severe pain, Ms Halappanavar asked for a medical termination.
This was refused, he says, because the foetal heartbeat was still present and they were told, “this is a Catholic country”.
She spent a further 2½ days “in agony” until the foetal heartbeat stopped.
Intensive care
The dead foetus was removed and Savita was taken to the high dependency unit and then the intensive care unit, where she died of septicaemia on the 28th.
An autopsy carried out by Dr Grace Callagy two days later found she died of septicaemia “documented ante-mortem” and E.coli ESBL.
A hospital spokesman confirmed the Health Service Executive had begun an investigation while the hospital had also instigated an internal investigation. He said the hospital extended its sympathy to the family and friends of Ms Halappanavar but could not discuss the details of any individual case.
Speaking from Belgaum in the Karnataka region of southwest India, Mr Halappanavar said an internal examination was performed when she first presented.
“The doctor told us the cervix was fully dilated, amniotic fluid was leaking and unfortunately the baby wouldn’t survive.” The doctor, he says, said it should be over in a few hours. There followed three days, he says, of the foetal heartbeat being checked several times a day.
“Savita was really in agony. She was very upset, but she accepted she was losing the baby. When the consultant came on the ward rounds on Monday morning Savita asked if they could not save the baby could they induce to end the pregnancy. The consultant said, ‘As long as there is a foetal heartbeat we can’t do anything’.
“Again on Tuesday morning, the ward rounds and the same discussion. The consultant said it was the law, that this is a Catholic country. Savita [a Hindu] said: ‘I am neither Irish nor Catholic’ but they said there was nothing they could do.
“That evening she developed shakes and shivering and she was vomiting. She went to use the toilet and she collapsed. There were big alarms and a doctor took bloods and started her on antibiotics.
“The next morning I said she was so sick and asked again that they just end it, but they said they couldn’t.”
Critically ill
At lunchtime the foetal heart had stopped and Ms Halappanavar was brought to theatre to have the womb contents removed. “When she came out she was talking okay but she was very sick. That’s the last time I spoke to her.”
At 11 pm he got a call from the hospital. “They said they were shifting her to intensive care. Her heart and pulse were low, her temperature was high. She was sedated and critical but stable. She stayed stable on Friday but by 7pm on Saturday they said her heart, kidneys and liver weren’t functioning. She was critically ill. That night, we lost her.”
Mr Halappanavar took his wife’s body home on Thursday, November 1st, where she was cremated and laid to rest on November 3rd.
The hospital spokesman said that in general sudden hospital deaths were reported to the coroner. In the case of maternal deaths, a risk review of the case was carried out.
External experts were involved in this review and the family consulted on the terms of reference. They were also interviewed by the review team and given a copy of the report.
In Ireland abortion is illegal except in the case of severe risk to life of the mother. Would you say that the doctors were justified in denying a medical termination as per Irish law?

Honestly no... That is horrible. Not only did the husband lose his baby, he lost his wife.  

They were absolutely not justified. She was seriously ill and they had told her the baby was not going to survive regardless. It made no sense to make the woman suffer as she did.

I think it was obviously posing a dire risk to the mother's life, I don't think thy we're the least bit justified in denying her the termination.
I didn't even realize Ireland was a (basically) pro-life state. This makes me very sad.

Quoting The (super kinky) Master:" http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2012/1114/1224326575203.html Two investigations are under ... [snip!] ... risk to life of the mother. Would you say that the doctors were justified in denying a medical termination as per Irish law?"

No.

That should be treated as murder.

in the first.

Quoting MommaSav2:" I think it was obviously posing a dire risk to the mother's life, I don't think thy we're the least bit ... [snip!] ... in denying her the termination. I didn't even realize Ireland was a (basically) pro-life state. This makes me very sad."

I suppose, in their eyes, apart from being in agony she was being monitored and not obviously critical.
Its still disgusting.

no..

she shouild of been able to terminate..

what exactly is the septicaemia? im assuming SEPTIC means lots of bad stuff in her body, but is it caused from the baby? like she got an infection from ruptrued amniotic sac and got it that way.

either way, not justified at all.. that poor husband : (

Quoting ☮ Phuket:" no.. she shouild of been able to terminate.. what exactly is the septicaemia? im assuming SEPTIC ... [snip!] ... got an infection from ruptrued amniotic sac and got it that way. either way, not justified at all.. that poor husband : ("

A wide spread bacterial infection .... basically a full system blood infection.

Quoting The (super kinky) Master:" A wide spread bacterial infection .... basically a full system blood infection. "

Yes then they should be charged with murder because she was sick and her life was in danger.

Quoting .Colleen.:" No. That should be treated as murder. in the first. "

I agree. They already gave up on the baby, they said he/she wouldn't make it.

Quoting Yurvette [♥]:" Yes then they should be charged with murder because she was sick and her life was in danger. "

As far as the article said there were no blood tests taken so they weren't monitoring her WBC levels ... and wide spread infection often gives the same obs as acute pain.

Quoting The (super kinky) Master:" A wide spread bacterial infection .... basically a full system blood infection. "

could that be caused from ruptured membranes? like the infection starting there?

obviously if he water broke and she was 17 weeks nothing could be done to save the baby..
\

as much as i like to think america is getting to be a bigger and bigger smurf hole..
im very thankful we are open to termination

Quoting Crystal Marie S.:" I agree. They already gave up on the baby, they said he/she wouldn't make it."

Right, yet continued to allow her to have her life risked for a fetus that had no chance at life.

Did she show signs of sepsis? if so, yes its wrong, if not, then no they were following their law.

<blockquote><b>Quoting The (super kinky) Master:</b>" I suppose, in their eyes, apart from being in agony she was being monitored and not obviously critical. Its still disgusting."</blockquote>




Right but the I listened to the story on the bbc this morning and they interviewed the husband. He said she had a high fever and was vomitting and extremely weak for 24 hours before the fetal heart beat stopped. And they only checked for the heart beat every six hours so it could have stopped much earlier and they just didn't check.
Hearing the story from him makes it sound like the hosptial staff was even more negligent and callus than the article makes it out to seem.