Miscarrying woman denied an abortion, dies (Ireland) MERGED

[Dinger]

Savita [a Hindu] said: ‘I am neither Irish nor Catholic’ but they said there was nothing they could do.

This brought tears to my eyes. That poor, poor woman must have suffered terribly and every minute of it was avoidable :cry:

[Irishy]

2-3000 people are SITTING on the ground outside the House of Parliament. Police have been caught completely off guard.

[Aisling]

2-3000 people are SITTING on the ground outside the House of Parliament. Police have been caught completely off guard.

Good! :)

[Aisling]

Apparently up here, they're trying to get something going again outside the Marie Stopes in Belfast, in solidarity.

[Austin]

This is what the right wing of the GOP has in mind for us and our daughters. I don't understand how anyone could vote for that ideology, regardless of their excuses about the economy or whatever. Money doesn't matter if you're dead. At the heart of the so-called pro-life movement is the ideology that women are expendable. End of story.

[Nothing2CHere]

I can't get this quote out of my head. How terrifying for her, how hideous to be held hostage by a religious belief that you don't even subscribe to. That poor, poor woman and her heart-broken husband. How senseless and cruel.

Same here, this quote really pinged with me, too, especially in light of a Facebook discussion I recently had last week.

My friend (someone I went to college with, who is also Catholic but always seemed to be more liberal-minded like me) posted on his wall last week after the election how he was happy that social justice issues would prevail but mourning the loss of "religious freedom and the sanctity of life." By religious freedom he meant the Affordable Care Act birth control requirement and that issue the US Bishops made about "Oh-noes, we might have to pay an insurance company to allow our employees to get ebil birth control???" Some other college friends and myself started a rather calm debate with him about why we thought there were no religious freedoms lost by this mandate. And then "Brad" jumped in (Brad being someone who did not go to college with us and who only my friend knows) and kept bringing the discussion back around to "But Abortion! Unborn Life Is Sacred!" Brad is evidently a rabid Catholic traditionalist, because when I stated that if people want the abortion rate to go down, they have to support access to birth control, he replied that all hormonal birth control pills are abortifacient because of that tiny 0.3%-0.5% that they could prevent a fertilized egg to implant if for some reason the woman still ovulated - in other words, he believes the pill can cause abortions and so he can't morally support anyone using them because everyone must follow his morals.

The woman who died, her statement above took me right back to Brad's comments. He's one of the people who would have denied her help, even though everyone knew there was no chance for the fetus to survive. I so want to post this article in that thread and get his reaction to what the reality of his beliefs is, but the conversation has died down and I don't want to deal any longer with someone who so strongly sees a fetus' life as more valuable than mine.

[BravaAmica]

2-3000 people are SITTING on the ground outside the House of Parliament. Police have been caught completely off guard.

Good. I hope 1,000,000 more show up.

[SquirrelySquirrel]

I've been sick to my stomach all day over this tragedy.

Also, you don't have to register to comment over at the youthdefense site. Some of those people are making me stabby, especially Maria, so I had to add my $.02.

Such a tragedy. My heart goes out to her husband and family.

From what I've read, Savita was told "this is a Catholic country" when she requested termination, not "it's unnecessary." That tells me all I need to know, along with the facts of the case. This women was treated more inhumanely than most would treat a dog. The fact that anyone could defend the medical staff or the laws in this case makes me ill.

Hey Maria, I'm pro-abortion. It's not an insult, as you seem to think. I'm pro-abortion when a woman wants one or needs one to stay alive, and pro-keeping-the-baby when a woman wants to do that. I'm pro-minding-my-own-business when it doesn't concern my uterus. It's called pro-choice. You are not pro-life, as shown by your comments here. You are just one of those anti-choicers who think an embryo who can't survive on its own is more important than a grown adult.

I'm the in USA, and the religious right wants to strip away our rights to bodily choice and it scares me to death. We do not need more cases like this.

Also, pro-choice countries have fewer abortions than anti-choice countries. It's an indisputable fact so I won't waste my time arguing with people who just see women as incubators and nothing more.

[Tanaqui]

I've been sick to my stomach all day over this tragedy.

Also, you don't have to register to comment over at the youthdefense site. Some of those people are making me stabby, especially Maria, so I had to add my $.02.

:clap: :clap: :clap:

[Irishy]

Good for you squirrelly. Maria and people like her are so brainwashed that they believe their own shite because if they pause to examine it, they might just wake up and realise what a lot of time they've wasted. Fear keeps em stupid.

[Guest Anonymous]

Hashtag #Savita on twitter has some great commentary and photographs of the vigils and protests.

https://twitter.com/davidcochrane/statu ... 04/photo/1

https://twitter.com/davidhall75/status/ ... 61/photo/1

People were/are apparently gathering in front of the Irish Embassy in London, also.

https://twitter.com/langphil/status/268 ... 76/photo/1

[OkToBeTakei]

Found this in the comments of the Whiner lady blog

Sanjana Rao said...

For you and all the others like you - my friend Savita Halappanavar died in Ireland last week after being denied abortion even though the doctors knew it was killing her slowly. She was going to lose the child anyway. She was in agony for 3.5 days. She begged the doctors to remove the foetus that was killing her. She wanted to live. They said "no, our religion does not permit it". They waited for the heartbeat of the foetus to stop. By the time it stopped, it was too late. It had spread its poison in her body and she died of septicaemia soon after. Her parents have still not come to terms with it. Her husband is shattered. I guess all this does not matter to people like you who sit in the comfort of their homes and harp about religion and what god does or does not tolerate, as if you are privy to what he is thinking. Maybe you'll understand it if your loved ones are ever in this situation, not that I wish it even on my worst enemies. Or maybe you wouldn't understand even then. I highly doubt if people like you are capable of understanding other people's suffering, are able to see beyond their own narrow view. Sitting comfortably and preaching your bigotted views, have you ever wondered what the elections mean to people beyond the US? Do you know what the implications are for the rest of the world? Do you care how the rest of us live? Is this narrow-minded hatred and self-love what your religion teaches you? Get off your high horse lady. There is more to this world than baby-making, non-working, preachers.

November 14, 2012 10:12 AM

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zachsgang.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/frozen-in-fear.html

[OkToBeTakei]

Found this in the comments of the Whiner lady blog

zachsgang.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/frozen-in-fear.html

I doubt it will penetrate, more likely bounce of her rubber brain.

ETA Sorry double post because, I am stupid.

[TinyDancer87]

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 countryâ€.

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.â€

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.â€

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.â€

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.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/fro ... 75203.html

[Minerva]

We've already had 2 threads about this. And it's appalling, btw. Pro-life my ass.

[TinyDancer87]

Oops! I looked for it, but my searching skills are pretty bad...

[Lianachu]

It pains to me to read something like this happened in the country I love. I proudly embrace my Irish heritage (my grandfather was Irish) and I have expressed my desire to move over. In fact, I was just in Dublin the other week. But things like this make me take pause. Just horrible. :(

[Closed Womb]

This thread (and two like it) have been here all day. I still cannot wrap my head around it.

Even if abortion is against the law, and even if the fetus is considered an living entity from conception, with full rights, I cannot, cannot, wrap my head around the unwillingness to terminate a pregnancy that was spontaneously aborting. It seems like common sense, even if it was just for the mother's comfort, much less her life.

Sometimes I just can't.

[celestial]

Absolutely horrifying. What century is this? :(

[CallmeChaCha]

This is so terrible. I can't imagine what her family went through knowing that she was going to miscarry, and then to lose her too. So sad. Has anybody seen this covered in US media? This would be a good article to send to all those a-hole Repugs that made rape comments, all those that defended those a-holes, and everyone on the FJ list of bloggers who are "pro-life". :angry-cussing:

[Anxious Girl]

Beyond fucked up. Its enraging how a 31 year old woman is less important than a dying fetus.

Get that Jericho? Be careful what you wish for.

He wants women to be fucking breeders, anyway, so this is his wish even though he doesn't want to admit it. If the woman survived and the "babeh" died, she would still be just as guilty to him and deserving of murder even though he's "pro-life," the asshat. Who cares if she dies? The cells are more important, anway, amirite, Jericho?

[Lillybee]

I hope that a person who is more computer savvy than I could post a link to this article on Josh's Instagram's abortion thread.

[BlueberryBird]

I saw this on CNN earlier today. Sound was off, so I don't how much attention her death was given, but it was reported.

[Funky Chicken]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/fro ... 75203.html

Looks like they didn't even start antibiotics until she collapsed, according to the above. If they didn't start them as soon as her membranes ruptured, that's culpable negligence right there as that might have been enough to save her.

[FlorenceHamilton]

I am not an OB either, but also a doctor. Antibiotics should have been given when membranes were assessed as ruptured and amniotic sac leaking. Given the circumstances we are given...17 week pregnancy, leaking memberanes, dilated cervix...the treatment is to remove the foreign body (fetus).

The window of safety is pretty narrow to allow an open amniotic sac to remain in utero. The infections in this situation tend to become very aggressive very quickly which take over the body before antibiotics can take effect. Also, she become infected while hospitalized. Hospital infections are often aggressive and resistant to antibiotics. The single safest and best wat to have saved Savita, who would almost surely gone on to have other children, would have been to remove the nidus of infection....expidite delivery.

THIS IS NOT PRO LIFE.