Law could be named after ‘martyr’ Savita

THE new Irish abortion law may be named ‘Savita’s law’ after the woman who became a martyr for the cause of legalising abortion.

Savita Halappanavar, pictured, was a 31-year-old dentist who was denied an abortion in 2012 after her first pregnancy ran into difficulties at 17 weeks.

Medics at University Hospital Galway decided that a miscarriage was certain – but refused to terminate the pregnancy because the heart of the foetus was still beating.

Her husband Praveen said his wife had said she was in pain and had asked for a termination. He said she was told that ‘unfortunately it’s a Catholic country’.

Mrs Halappanavar, a Hindu, developed an infection and then septic shock, and died seven days after being admitted to hospital.

Her husband said there was no doubt that she would have lived if a termination had been allowed. An inquiry found that there had been ‘an over-emphasis on the need not to intervene until the foetal heart had stopped’.

The death provoked protests and also led to the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013, which allows a termination if there is a ‘substantial risk to life, including risk of suicide’.

Mrs Halappanavar’s father Andanappa Yalagi told the Irish Times yesterday that the new law ‘should be named for her’.