Doctors Sentenced in Poland Following Patient’s Death Amidst Strict Abortion Law
Two doctors in Poland have been sentenced to over a year in prison without parole, and a third received a two-year suspended sentence, in connection with the death of a pregnant woman identified as Iza. The woman died from sepsis at 22 weeks of pregnancy, a case that ignited widespread street protests against Poland’s restrictive anti-abortion law. Activists contend that the doctors’ decision to delay an abortion,opting for a “wait and see” approach due to the near-total ban on the procedure,contributed to her death. The charges, filed in 2022, included exposing the patient to the danger of loss of life, with two doctors also facing charges of unintentionally causing her death.
The incident highlights the profound impact of Poland’s stringent abortion legislation,enacted in 1993.This law permits abortions only in cases of rape or incest, when the woman’s life or health is at risk, or in instances of fetal congenital deformities. However, a 2020 ruling by the Constitutional Tribunal, influenced by the country’s conservative ruling party, further restricted abortion access by deeming abortions for congenital defects unconstitutional, even when the fetus is not viable. This ruling also triggered important public demonstrations.
Iza, who left behind a husband and daughter, is considered by activists to be the first fatality resulting from the further tightening of these restrictive abortion measures. In practice, many women are reportedly resorting to obtaining abortion pills from abroad to terminate their pregnancies independently.The convicted doctors have the right to appeal the court’s decision.