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The Last Word With Matt Cooper

Doctors Debate The Eighth Amendment

Ahead of the referendum on the Eighth Amendment, we heard from two doctors on separate sides of the...
TodayFM
TodayFM

6:08 PM - 22 May 2018



The Last Word With Matt Cooper

Doctors Debate The Eighth Amendment

TodayFM
TodayFM

6:08 PM - 22 May 2018

Listen to this episode



Ahead of the referendum on the Eighth Amendment, we heard from two doctors on separate sides of the campaign on the medical issues involved.

Dr. Cliona Murphy is a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist in the Coombe Women's and University Hospital and Tallaght Hospital, as well as the new chair-elect for the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

She says she often worries that she will encounter a similar situation to that of Savita Halappanavar: "If a woman has ruptured membranes and there's no foetal heart it's straightforward, we use medical management to complete miscarriage. If there's a foetal heart there's no leeway."

Cliona adds that nobody has defined what a 'real and substantial' risk to the life of the mother is. "The law doesn't facilitate us intervening."

"I've been in the awful situation of having quite a sick lady that I thought needed intervention, but wasn't deemed sick enough to go into intensive care or high dependency."

Dr. Andrew O'Regan is a GP in Co. Kerry and spokesperson for the Medical Alliance for the Eighth. He says, "I would have full empathy for any woman in that situation, but what I don't think is right is what Minister Harris has outlined which is intentionally ending the life of the foetus."

"I think it's really sad that Savita's case is being used and manipulated to push forward an agenda. The vast majority of cases will be healthy babies and healthy mothers."

He feels abortion is not healthcare: "Any time an abortion happens that's a tragedy. We're not asking ourselves how we can help women in this situation."

Cliona says there are times when it's "just not feasible" to give equal value to the life of the foetus.

"We're exporting this problem to the UK and I really think we can't be shirking our responsibilities. We've had 35 years to get it right and it hasn't happened."

To catch the full chat press the play button on the image on the top of the screen


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