Abortion reforms gain momentum

November 26, 2009  •  National News  •  1 Comments

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THE planned reforms to the Abortion law have been approved at the first stage in parliament after they passed a vote in Congress.

Ruling party PSOE were among six political parties who supported the changes. The vote was won by a narrow majority of 180 to 163.

The most contentious of the proposed amendments is for terminations to be allowed without parental consent at the age of 16.

Equality Minister Bibiana Aido explained to Congress that the government proposed this change so it was in line with the age of consent for other surgical procedures.

The aim of reducing the age limit is so that fewer young girls risk their health by terminating foetuses in backstreet abortions.

It will also mean 16 year olds cannot be imprisoned for having an abortion either.

The law currently states that termination is considered to be a crime unless there are extenuating circumstances.

These include rape, the foetus being seriously deformed, or if there is a risk to the mental or physical health of the mother.

Reader Comments »

Steven Ertelt

November 26th, 2009 11:41 pm

Not letting parents be involved is silly. So teenagers who are injured by botched abortions will go to a hospital for emergency care and only then will parents be allowed to know their daughter was almost killed. They will be required to sig off on the surgery to repair the damage the abortion cause but are kept in the dark about the abortion itself. Aido makes no sense.

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