Foetal deformity 'will never be permitted as grounds for legal abortion'
Tuesday, July 1, 2014 @ 3:58 PM
MINISTER of justice Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón has rejected calls for foetal deformity to be grounds for legal abortion after discussions held in Parliament and recommendations by the General Judicial Council.
Finding out an unborn child will be handicapped, however severely, will 'never' automatically allow a woman to terminate the pregnancy unless this is shown to have 'seriously damaging' effects on her 'mental or physical health', the minister declares.
“Physical or mental handicap is no reason for a person to enjoy fewer rights, either before or after they are born,” stated Ruiz-Gallardón.
“We will never allow citizens to be considered first-class or second-class.
“I will not allow a system to be set up whereby, merely by dint of a person lacking in something, they have fewer rights than a person who is not – I do not believe in this.”
A list of 'foetal deformities' was drawn up last week, and it was believed that the minister was considering allowing women to end a pregnancy if they were carrying a child who would be born with severe disabilities that would commit her to being a full-time carer for the rest of her offspring's life.
But only those 'deformities' which are 'incompatible with life' – where the child would be stillborn or die within hours or days of birth – will be considered a legal motive for abortion.
Ruiz-Gallardón says he is 'examining' the proposed amendments put forward by all other parties in the government, most of which clamour for foetal deformities to be one of the permitted legal reasons for an abortion.
Read more thinkSPAIN.com