Ireland: First legal abortion performed

Nearly 10 months after the death of Indian dentist Savita Halappanavar last October after she was denied an abortion, the pregnancy termination was carried out at a hospital in Dublin city.

Ireland\'s first legal termination was carried out on a woman who was almost 18 weeks’ pregnant.

"The first termination of a pregnancy carried out under the provisions of new abortion legislation has taken place at the National Maternity Hospital on Holles Street, Dublin," The Irish Times reported.

"The termination of the twin pregnancy was carried out on a patient who was almost 18 weeks’ pregnant in view of the risk to her life and the unviability of her pregnancy, according to sources at the hospital. Foetal heartbeat were present," it reported.

Ireland was forced to review its abortion law in "high risk" cases following the death of Indian dentist Savita Halappanavar last October after she was denied an abortion.

Savita went to Galway University Hospital at Galway city in Ireland on Oct 21 last year with back pain where she was found to be miscarrying at 17 weeks.

Her husband Praveen Halappanavar, an engineer at Boston Scientific in Galway, earlier said she had asked several times over a three-day period that the pregnancy be terminated. This was refused, he said, because the foetal heartbeat was still present and they were told: "This is a Catholic country".

The dead foetus was later removed and Savita was taken to the high dependency unit and then the intensive care unit, where she died of septicaemia on Oct 28.