Seriously ill Salvadoran woman denied abortion will undergo premature Caesarean section
The woman, who is suffering from kidney failure and lupus, was denied an abortion by the Supreme Court in El Salvador
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A seriously ill woman in El Salvador who was denied a potentially life-saving abortion by the country’s Supreme Court could give birth by Caesarean section within the next few days, the health minister said yesterday.
Beatriz, 22, from rural western El Salvador, suffers from lupus and kidney disease, which could trigger fatal complications in the third trimester of pregnancy. She is 26 weeks pregnant, but scans show the foetus has an incomplete brain and will not survive more than a few days outside the womb.
Her doctors recommended an abortion almost three months ago due to these serious risks, but abortion is illegal in all circumstances in El Salvador and punishable by up to 50 years in prison.
The announcement by the Health Minister, Maria Rodriguez, follows an unprecedented intervention by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which ordered El Salvador to safeguard the young mother’s health. Beatriz has a 14-month-old son and has repeatedly pleaded with authorities to be allowed to live for his sake.
El Salvador’s Supreme Court had controversially refused to authorise an abortion for Beatriz, ordering her to continue the pregnancy until the risk to her life became “imminent”.
It is the first time the Inter-American Court has ruled on an abortion case.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments