Savita Halappanavar's inquest has heard in another country she would have been given the option of aborting the pregnancy a day or two before she miscarried.

In her evidence Consultant Obstetrician Dr. Katherine Astbury denies refusing a termination on the grounds that this was a Catholic country. But she agrees there were policy and system failures in the care of Mrs. Halappanavar at University Hospital Galway

Hospital guidelines stipulated that she should have been observed every 4 hours when her membranes ruptured early Monday morning but were not followed.

Questioned by Praveen Halappavar's lawyers Dr. Astbury agreed the risk of infection following a rupture was 30 to 40% but the risk of sepsis was .5% and death .1%

She said she acted under the guidelines and Irish law does not allow for a pregnancy to be terminated even if it is unviable unless there is a risk to the life of the mother.

She agreed she was inhibited by the law and that in a neighbouring country Savita would have been given the option of terminating the pregnancy a day or two before she miscarried.

She denied ever refusing a termination on the grounds this was a Catholic country and agreed that would have been an insensitive remark

Kitty Holland from The Irish Times broke the story and has been attending the inquest.

Pictured above is Dr. Katherine Astbury 

Background

• Abortion has been legal in cases where there is a substantial risk to the mother's life since the 1992 Supreme Court ruling on the X Case.
• The ruling included a provision to allow abortion when there is a threat of suicide after a teenage rape victim asked the courts for permission to travel for an abortion.
• No legislation on the ruling has been enacted.
• The European Court of Human Rights ruled the State violated the rights of a cancer survivor who had to travel for a termination.
• The Department of Health says it will introduce a combination of legislation and regulations for doctors to abide by, having studied an expert group's report on the European ruling.

Pictured above is an extract from Praveen Halappanavar's statement to the inquest into his wife's death.

New abortion laws

Meanwhile the government is to publish new abortion laws in July. At the moment doctors must treat an expectant mother and her unborn baby as equals. But medical intervention is allowed to save the life of a woman in limited circumstances.

It is claimed there has been confusion over the laws and that the new regime will provide clear procedures.

Last year an expert group report recommended a combination of regulations with legislation to be introduced to provide legal clarity to doctors.

Praveen speaks to the media at Galway Courthouse