Three doctors were given prison sentences for their negligence in treating a pregnant woman who died in hospital under their care. Her death in 2021 prompted mass protests against Poland’s near-total abortion ban, which had been introduced earlier that year.
The 30-year-old woman, identified only by her first name, Izabela, was admitted to hospital in the 22th week of her pregnancy following a premature rupture of membranes. The fetus, which had severe developmental defects, subsequently died, and then Izabela herself died soon after that due to septic shock.
During her stay in hospital, Izabela wrote messages to her family saying that doctors had decided to “wait until [the foetus] dies”. She linked their decision to the abortion law and complained of being treated as an “incubator”.
However, supporters of the abortion law noted that it still allows pregnancies to be terminated if they threaten the health or life of the woman. They argued that Izabela’s death was the result of malpractice by the doctors. Prosecutors subsequently charged the three doctors with professional negligence that endangered their patient’s life. One of them was additionally accused of manslaughter. All three pleaded not guilty. The trial was held behind closed doors, with the oral justifications for the rulings also kept confidential.
SOURCE: Notes from Poland, 17 July 2025.