Malta’s Pro-Choice Doctors Call For Legal Change To Protect Mothers Whose Lives Are In Danger
Doctors for Choice has reacted to comments made by President George Vella about abortion in his interview with Lovin Malta.
With specific reference to Vella’s claim that it was “misleading” to talk about abortion in cases where the woman’s life is in danger, the pro-choice organisation said Maltese law was unclear on this and should be changed immediately.
“Questioning what the current law says about when a pregnant woman’s life is in danger is no ‘misleading question’. If we all agree that a woman’s life should be saved, then the law should be changed to reflect this, rather than leaving it up to loopholes and unclear ethical principles to save her life (this is UNSAFE). How can the law not be absolutely clear about such a crucial and important matter i.e. a woman’s life?”
The group, which was formed this year, also pointed out that access to safe abortion improved public health outcomes.
“This is not an ‘opinion’ but a fact. The World Health Organisation, the International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and other international organisations of the same calibre do not base their guidance and recommendations on ‘opinion’ but studied and factual public health outcomes,” Doctors for Choice said.
Reference was also made to underage pregnancies in the outcome of rape. The group said Malta saw an average of 10 cases per year of girls under 16 years of age and this should not be ignored.
“Thinking about an embryo or a fetus alone with complete disregard to the woman – the very being who is actually going through all of it and experiencing it, and without whom that embryo is not viable – is wrong,” the group concluded.
