American woman who feared for her life after being denied a medical abortion in Malta

An American woman fears for her life after being denied an abortion in Malta, while her laws are strict in this regard, while her child is being reprimanded, a relative and a voluntary charity said Wednesday.

“She’s scared,” Jay Wheeler told AFP by phone from the hospital where his partner, Andrea Prudente, was admitted. “I feel like an innocent woman is being given a cruel and bizarre sentence.”

The couple were on vacation in Malta when Ms Prudente went to the hospital with excessive bleeding in the 16th week of pregnancy. The baby was fine, but her water broke after a day or two.

Further tests showed that the placenta was partially detached from the uterus, but the baby’s heart was still beating, Mr Wheatley said.

They were instructed to return 48 hours later. A third ultrasound later confirmed that “the fluid is gone and the baby (…) will not survive”, although his heart is still beating. The wheelchair continued.

Because of Malta’s total abortion ban, doctors are not going to intervene, he said. This was confirmed by a voluntary charity, which made the case public, Doctors for Choice.

Since then, the couple has been waiting.

“They are waiting for the heartbeat to stop, for Andrea to have a miscarriage, or for an infection that could endanger her life,” laments the doctors “playing head or tail.” Wheelchair. With the mother alive ”.

Their insurance company tried to evict them from Malta, but miscarriage and flight problems pushed all carriers away.

Mainly Catholic, only Malta has a complete ban on abortion in the European Union, with no chance of the fetus being alive.

Natalie Zaila of Doctors for Choice confirmed the couple’s story that the fetus had “no chance of survival” and that the mother “had this condition is very dangerous.”

“If her condition worsens, the doctor will have to break the law (up to four years in prison) and terminate the pregnancy,” she said. According to Sayla, this legislative situation is “no longer lasting”.

The Maltese government did not comment.

The NGO fears a tragedy in Ireland in 2012: Savita Halappanavar, 31, died of an infection after being refused a medical abortion following a miscarriage. His death slandered public opinion and led to a change in the law.