Category: Abortion

Doctors are last line of abortion defence

The law has changed but responsibilities of medical profession have not

The Times

David Quinn

In the Germany of Otto von Bismarck, they called it the Kulturkampf, which means cultural struggle. In a narrow sense it referred to the battle between the German state and the Catholic church over schools and ecclesiastical appointments, but more generally to efforts to reduce the influence of Catholicism in German life. The Lutheran church, being state-run, was not deemed a threat to Bismarck’s vision for a newly unified Germany.

The Irish state has not quite got around to seeking control over who gets to become a bishop, but church-run schools are in its sights, and ministers seem determined to reduce the influence of Catholicism in Irish life to a minimum. . . [Full text]

Lack of preparation for abortion services

The Irish Times (Letters)

Sir, – Special adviser, Dr Peter Boylan stated that the new abortion services will be “unrecognisable” in a year’s time from how they will appear on January 1st – the date for implementation set by Minister for Health Simon Harris. (Home News, December 16th). This comment is a cause of deep concern for clinicians who will be working in maternity units on day one and afterwards, when these services are rolled out. . .

. . . we will insist that the HSE and the Department of Health meet their responsibilities and commit to ongoing engagement with clinicians to resource our maternity units to the highest standards. The understandable passion to finally provide abortion care in Ireland should not blind us to the clinical reality of how unprepared we are. . .

Dr. Bridgette Byrne,Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital & RCSI;

Prof. Chris Fitzpatrick, Associate Prof. Mairead Kennelly, Associate Prof. Aisling Martin, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital & UCD;

Dr. Sharon Sheehan,Master/CEO, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital;

Dr. Keelin O’Donoghue, CorkUniversity Maternity Hospital & UCC;

Dr. Noirin Russell, Cork UniversityMaternity Hospital;

Prof. Fionnuala McAuliffe, NationalMaternity Hospital & UCD;

Dr. Peter McParland,National Maternity Hospital;

Dr. Jenny Walsh, National Maternity Hospital

Dr Nandini Ravikumar, Midland Regional Hospital at Mullingar;

Ass. Prof. Elizabeth Dunn, Wexford General Hospital & UCD & Dr. Francois Gardeil, Wexford General Hospital.

145 GPs and nine hospitals sign up to provide medical abortions

Irish Independent

Eilish O’Regan

JUST 145 GPs have signed up so far to provide medical abortions from January.

The relatively low number means that some women will have to travel for the service.

Around 39 of these GPs have not agreed to their names being given out to women in crisis who ring up a 24/7 helpline for counselling and direction to the nearest service. . . [Full text]

All but two counties in Republic have GPs willing to do abortions

Service planners understood to be satisfied with GP uptake and geographical spread

The Irish Times

Paul Cullen

GPs in 24 of the 26 counties of the Republic have indicated their willingness to perform medical abortion under the new legislation coming into force on January 1st.

The vast majority of the State’s 19 maternity units, including a majority of smaller units outside Dublin and Cork, have also stated their preparedness to provide surgical abortion in the new year, according to sources. . . [Full text]

Abortion is legal in Italy, but most doctors refuse to perform them

Public Radio International

The World Staff

Italy legalized abortion 40 years ago. But according to a group of Italian gynecologists, access to the procedure has been declining for years now.

The main reason is that fewer doctors who work in Italy’s public health facilities are willing to perform abortions. Italy’s abortion law requires all hospitals to provide access to the procedure. But the law also gives gynecologists the option to declare themselves “conscientious objectors.”

“For example, in the public University of Rome, we have more than 60 doctors but only two provide abortion, only two,” said Silvana Agatone, a gynecologist in Rome. . . [Full text]