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| 'Let me end my pregnancy': one woman's plight grips El Salvador | 'Let me end my pregnancy': one woman's plight grips El Salvador |
| (10 days later) | |
| As she waits for a supreme court ruling that could decide whether she lives or dies, a young Salvadoran at the centre of Latin America's abortion debate is calling on the world to respect her right to choose. | As she waits for a supreme court ruling that could decide whether she lives or dies, a young Salvadoran at the centre of Latin America's abortion debate is calling on the world to respect her right to choose. |
| It is an extraordinary case that has convulsed the country and led to interventions from the UN and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). "Beatriz", as the 22-year-old is known, is five months pregnant with a foetus that is missing a large part of its brain and skull. Even if it survives past birth, the baby will almost certainly die soon after. Doctors have warned Beatriz that she too could die if she carries to term because her kidneys are weakened by lupus disease. | It is an extraordinary case that has convulsed the country and led to interventions from the UN and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). "Beatriz", as the 22-year-old is known, is five months pregnant with a foetus that is missing a large part of its brain and skull. Even if it survives past birth, the baby will almost certainly die soon after. Doctors have warned Beatriz that she too could die if she carries to term because her kidneys are weakened by lupus disease. |
| But a request to terminate the pregnancy has run up against one of the world's strictest anti-abortion laws, which forbids intervention even in cases of rape, incest and when there is a threat to the life of the woman. | But a request to terminate the pregnancy has run up against one of the world's strictest anti-abortion laws, which forbids intervention even in cases of rape, incest and when there is a threat to the life of the woman. |
| In this overwhelmingly Catholic nation, the case has set bishops and anti-abortion campaigners against the health ministry and women's rights groups. Doctors and judges have weighed in, as have newspapers. | In this overwhelmingly Catholic nation, the case has set bishops and anti-abortion campaigners against the health ministry and women's rights groups. Doctors and judges have weighed in, as have newspapers. |
| Largely missing from the debate until now, however, has been the voice of Beatriz herself. But with the risks growing with each day that passes, the young woman is now speaking out. | Largely missing from the debate until now, however, has been the voice of Beatriz herself. But with the risks growing with each day that passes, the young woman is now speaking out. |
| "I'd like [people in the outside world] to respect my decision. I want to tell them that I'd feel better if I was allowed to have an interruption," she told the Observer. | "I'd like [people in the outside world] to respect my decision. I want to tell them that I'd feel better if I was allowed to have an interruption," she told the Observer. |
| The health ministry has backed her appeal, along with the IACHR, the United Nations and pro-choice groups. | The health ministry has backed her appeal, along with the IACHR, the United Nations and pro-choice groups. |
| But doctors are afraid to go ahead without the backing of the courts because the maximum penalty for terminating a foetus is 12 years in prison. | But doctors are afraid to go ahead without the backing of the courts because the maximum penalty for terminating a foetus is 12 years in prison. |
| The church is also lobbying fiercely against an abortion. The Episcopal Conference says that Beatriz is being used by pro-choice campaigners to weaken the country's prohibition. "This case should not be used to legislate against human life, especially against the unborn," the church said. The supreme court was asked to rule on the matter on 17 April, but it has withheld a decision, pending further tests. | The church is also lobbying fiercely against an abortion. The Episcopal Conference says that Beatriz is being used by pro-choice campaigners to weaken the country's prohibition. "This case should not be used to legislate against human life, especially against the unborn," the church said. The supreme court was asked to rule on the matter on 17 April, but it has withheld a decision, pending further tests. |
| Told by the court to assess the risks, the institute of legal medicine recommended last week that Beatriz continue with the pregnancy, contradicting an earlier recommendation to terminate the pregnancy made by the medical committee of the national maternity hospital. | Told by the court to assess the risks, the institute of legal medicine recommended last week that Beatriz continue with the pregnancy, contradicting an earlier recommendation to terminate the pregnancy made by the medical committee of the national maternity hospital. |
| "At this time, [Beatriz] is clinically stable, which means that for today there is no imminent risk of death," said one passage from the insitute's assessment, printed in the newspaper El Diario de Hoy. It said that there was no clinical evidence of renal failure. | "At this time, [Beatriz] is clinically stable, which means that for today there is no imminent risk of death," said one passage from the insitute's assessment, printed in the newspaper El Diario de Hoy. It said that there was no clinical evidence of renal failure. |
| But the diagnosis is contested by the health minister María Isabel Rodríguez. "We are not denying that in her current condition she is not going to die tomorrow, but we know she is at risk and every passing day of pregnancy increases the risk of potentially fatal complications." | But the diagnosis is contested by the health minister María Isabel Rodríguez. "We are not denying that in her current condition she is not going to die tomorrow, but we know she is at risk and every passing day of pregnancy increases the risk of potentially fatal complications." |
| Beatriz said she hoped for a rapid decision before her situation worsens. "I feel bad because of all of this, because they don't want to help me," she said. "I'm not seriously ill, but I feel bad, because I get really tired and I'm short of breath ... I'd like them to interrupt the pregnancy now." | Beatriz said she hoped for a rapid decision before her situation worsens. "I feel bad because of all of this, because they don't want to help me," she said. "I'm not seriously ill, but I feel bad, because I get really tired and I'm short of breath ... I'd like them to interrupt the pregnancy now." |
| Supporters say a further complication is that Beatriz nearly died during the birth of her previous child, which was delivered by caesarean section. | Supporters say a further complication is that Beatriz nearly died during the birth of her previous child, which was delivered by caesarean section. |
| "I was talking to her mother today and she told me that only she and the doctors at that hospital know what they went through last time," said Morena Herrera of the citizens' group for the decriminalisation of abortion. "So they've been trying to stop things reaching the condition she was in during the previous birth. | "I was talking to her mother today and she told me that only she and the doctors at that hospital know what they went through last time," said Morena Herrera of the citizens' group for the decriminalisation of abortion. "So they've been trying to stop things reaching the condition she was in during the previous birth. |
| "There has been a lot of manipulation, but I think that most people are clear that the foetus is not going to survive. Given the combination of risk to her life and an anencephalic pregnancy, it doesn't make any sense to prolong her suffering and the risk." | "There has been a lot of manipulation, but I think that most people are clear that the foetus is not going to survive. Given the combination of risk to her life and an anencephalic pregnancy, it doesn't make any sense to prolong her suffering and the risk." |
| To get around the ban, some campaigners say the foetus could be prematurely induced. Although the outcome would be the same as an abortion, this semantic change may be legal after 23 weeks' gestation. But that would also require a supreme court ruling. | To get around the ban, some campaigners say the foetus could be prematurely induced. Although the outcome would be the same as an abortion, this semantic change may be legal after 23 weeks' gestation. But that would also require a supreme court ruling. |
| Pro-choice and other civil rights groups have called on the court to make a swift decision. "We hope that the supreme court treats this case with the urgency it merits, given that Beatriz's life and health are at risk," Esther Major, Amnesty International's expert on Central America, said last month. "She is suffering cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in being denied the medical intervention she so urgently needs." | Pro-choice and other civil rights groups have called on the court to make a swift decision. "We hope that the supreme court treats this case with the urgency it merits, given that Beatriz's life and health are at risk," Esther Major, Amnesty International's expert on Central America, said last month. "She is suffering cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in being denied the medical intervention she so urgently needs." |
| Beatriz hopes that a decision will be made soon. Looking ahead, she says the priority is not just her own life, but that of her one-year-old child. | Beatriz hopes that a decision will be made soon. Looking ahead, she says the priority is not just her own life, but that of her one-year-old child. |
| "I'm still waiting. They told me that maybe they'll say something next week," she said. "I'd like to be with my son, to be able to look after him and give him what he needs. I'd like to be well, not to be sick." | "I'm still waiting. They told me that maybe they'll say something next week," she said. "I'd like to be with my son, to be able to look after him and give him what he needs. I'd like to be well, not to be sick." |
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