‘Her heart was beating too’ they chanted, as thousands of protesters across Poland demonstrated on 6 November, sparked by the death of a pregnant woman in hospital – 30-year-old Izabel – whose 22-week pregnancy was miscarrying and became septic due to the failure to treat her, i.e. carry out an abortion as emergency obstetric care.
The next day, Poland’s Health Ministry issued instructions to doctors confirming that it is legal to terminate a pregnancy when the woman’s health or life is in danger. The instructions were addressed to obstetricians in reaction to The government claimed their court ruling on October 2020, which effectively banned all abortions, was not to blame for Izabela’s death, but rather an error by doctors.
SOURCES: CTV News, Associated Press staff, 7 November 2021 ; Reuters.com, by Anna Koper, 6 November 2021 + PHOTO, by David Zuchowicz/Agencja Wyborcza.pl via Reuters