In response to the recent death of a pregnant woman from sepsis and the ongoing restrictive abortion law in Poland, numerous demonstrations took place across the country on Wednesday. Protesters directed their anger towards the Law and Justice party (PiS), the governing party responsible for the strict legislation, as well as doctors who refuse to perform abortions, even in life-threatening situations. Disturbingly, there have been instances where hospitals declined to terminate pregnancies, endangering women’s lives, based on the presence of a fetal heartbeat.
Under the rallying cries of “Stop Killing Us!” and “Not One More,” the protesters voiced their frustrations. In Warsaw, hundreds of individuals gathered around a monument dedicated to Nicolaus Copernicus, the Renaissance astronomer. Signs at the protest carried messages such as “PiS kills” and “Mom, I am afraid for my future,” highlighting the deep concerns and fears surrounding the current situation.
The tragic incident involved a 33-year-old woman who passed away from sepsis in May at the John Paul II hospital in Nowy Targ, located in a predominantly conservative region of Poland. The hospital, known for housing relics of the late Polish pope, adheres to a policy of never performing abortions on moral grounds, as reported by Polish media.
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Tragically, the woman in question, Dorota Lalik, arrived at the John Paul II hospital in Nowy Targ after her water broke. She was advised to lie with her legs elevated, with the hope that her amniotic fluids would replenish. However, her condition worsened, leading to sepsis, and she passed away three days later on May 24.
Protests demanding justice were not limited to Warsaw but also took place in Nowy Targ, where the hospital released a statement expressing condolences to the woman’s family while asserting that the medical staff had done their utmost to assist her. The hospital also claimed that she had been informed about her own health and the health of her unborn child, and that she had comprehended the situation.
Under the current abortion law in Poland, women are only granted the right to terminate a pregnancy in cases of rape or incest, or if there is a threat to their life or health. Government authorities have emphasized that the law was not the direct cause of the woman’s death. They have acknowledged that women are entitled to a legal abortion under such circumstances, and have accused the hospital of violating her right to a lawful abortion.
In response to the criticism and protests, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki defended his Law and Justice party by pointing out that similar perinatal deaths occurred during the tenure of the previous centrist government, the Civic Platform. He argued that Poland’s abortion law, which was already one of the most restrictive in Europe, existed prior to his party’s assumption of power in 2015.
Advocates for women’s rights contend that the current law, coupled with the prevailing conservative atmosphere, has created a chilling effect. They assert that doctors, driven either by ideology or fear of legal repercussions, are prioritizing the preservation of fetuses over the lives of women, putting them at risk.
On the other hand, the government and anti-abortion groups accuse those advocating for abortion rights of unfairly politicizing these tragic incidents. They believe that the opposition is exploiting the tragedies for their own political agenda.
The situation has further intensified since the constitutional court’s ruling in 2020, which prohibited the termination of pregnancies in cases of severe fetal deformities.Regrettably, several women have lost their lives since the implementation of this ruling.
Critics of the existing abortion laws in Poland raise another concern, which involves doctors refusing to perform abortions based on their personal moral beliefs. This practice is often referred to as the “conscience clause.”
According to the liberal newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, published on Wednesday, the conscience clause is not only utilized by individual doctors but also by entire healthcare institutions. It was reported that even the hospital where Dorota Lalik tragically passed away invoked the conscience clause, resulting in the denial of her request for an abortion.
This issue highlights a broader problem where healthcare providers and facilities can refuse to provide abortion services based on moral objections. Such practices further limit access to safe and legal abortions, exacerbating the challenges faced by women seeking reproductive healthcare in Poland.