Ireland to seek abortion law change after death

[NewsCaster]

Irish Times via ReutersSavita Halappanavar died of septicaemia a week after miscarrying 17 weeks into her pregnancy.By ReutersLaws allowing limited access to abortion will be introduced in Ireland,  the only European Union member state that bans the procedure, following the death of  a woman who was refused a termination, the government said on Tuesday.

The  death last month of 31-year-old Savita Halappanavar, who was denied the  abortion of her dying fetus and later died of blood poisoning, shocked  the predominantly Roman Catholic country and spurred the government to  act on an issue it had delayed for decades.

Abortion was banned  in all circumstances by a constitutional amendment in 1983, but when  challenged by a 14-year-old rape victim in the so-called "X-case" nine  years later, the Supreme Court ruled a termination was permitted when  the woman's life was at risk, including from suicide.

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