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The criminalizing of therapeutic abortion
has been taken up by the Catholic Church
and allied civil-society groups.
In a tragic alliance, together they formed an influential group
that also blocked plans for sex education and family planning
that would help to reduce the incidence of abortion.
What the rhetoric of the anti-therapeutic abortion groups has hidden
is that the precepts of the Catholic Church
also talk about the priority of saving the woman’s life.
“Not very often, we are reminded that
the very Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church
permits the sacrifice of the fetus under some circumstances.
The Canon Law, permits what it calls ‘indirect abortion,’
which is to extract an organ containing the fetus
with the objective of saving the life of the mother
to cure her of some sickness,
despite the sacrifice of the fetus.
It says that the concept of the sacrifice of the fetus,
to save the life of the woman,
is accepted by the Code of Canon Law.
Furthermore, remember that the prohibition of abortion
by the Catholic Church is not official dogma.
That is to say, many theologians may hold
their own, different interpretions of these
religious commands, and milennial traditions.
It is understood that up to a certain moment,
under certain circumstances,
particularly when it is done to save the life of the woman,
abortion would not be a sin.
Therapeutic abortion is not just any abortion.
Science and laws both make a clear distinction
between the two, focusing the final objectives of each.
“The diverse codes of law permit therapeutic abortion
as a general exception to other restrictions on abortion,
with the understanding that you can’t criminalize a conduct
that has the object of preserving the life or health of women.”
The legislature in Mexico’s federal district has recognized the necessity
of preserving the health of the woman’s reproductive system.
“Mexico just decriminalized abortion until the 12th week of gestation.
And Mexico preserves, for other pregnancies,
abortion legal for extreme conditions, for example, danger to life,
danger to health, congenital deformities,
and *** or artificial insemination without consent.
In most cases, the argument against abortion
calls on the right to life.
Yet these people lose sight of the fact that permitting these abortions
guarantees the right to life for women.
Clandestine abortions are a reality.
They occur under dangerous conditions,
and these dangerous conditions cause women to risk their lives and health.
Responsible legislators understand that abortion
should be at least partially permitted
to protect the life and health of women.
Criminalizing therapeutic abortion begins the prosecution
not only of women, but of doctors and medical professionals
that help to interrupt the pregnancies that become necessary
to preserve women’s health and life."
"“When conditions that put the woman’s life in danger emerge,
it puts the doctor in a very difficult situation.
Because they know from every obstetrics book, in some circumstances
the only solution to keep a woman alive is to end the pregnancy,
and now, the law no longer allows that.
These doctors find themselves between a rock and a hard place,
because if the woman dies, which is likely,
the family, in all due reason, will want to sue him,
because medical science says it was within the doctor’s means
to save the woman’s life.
When we weigh the moral value of the woman’s life
against the moral balance of the life of the fetus,
we have to always prefer the life of the woman.
Why? Because that woman always has a family.”
People speak of defending the right of life,
but what about the life of women?
Impeding the practice of therapeutic abortion implies sacrificing women.
One right starts where the other one ends.
We cannot lose a born woman, complete,
an invaluable member of society, a citizen with many rights,
including the most valuable right of all, the right to life.
It doesn't mean the state shouldn't protect unborn life.
But it should be compatible with the rights of people who are already born.
In this case the rights of women.
Furthermore, criminalizing therapeutic abortion violates
a series of laws and fundamental rights.
“All rights that are constitutionally protected by the Nicaragua constitution,
and the international treaties that Nicaragua has signed and ratified
and incorporated into its internal legal structure.
The possibility to access therapeutic abortion
is guaranteed to women by the right to health, for example,
guaranteed to women by the right to life,
guaranteed by the right to personal integrity,
guaranteed to women by the right to personal liberty,
all of these rights would be protected by various international treaties.
Nicaragua has affirmed all of these treaties,
and furthermore, the Nicaraguan government has said that these treaties
determine legislation in Nicaragua.
Therefore, prohibiting therapeutic abortion puts Nicaragua
in a scenario where it is grossly violating these rights.
The tragic consequence of igorance is that
decision to criminalize therapeutic abortion contributes to a climate
in which full, blooming lives are irreversibly extinguished.
The life of women, and of the fetus left in their wombs.
These women have names,
husbands, friends, children, and families.
Families that now feel the pain of their absence.
"At the hospital, no one gave her any advice.
Someone older, who would tell her that it was bad for her.
To advise her to find a cure for herself first.
Maybe if she hadn't gotten pregnant
maybe she would have lived more. She would have had more time.
If only she had finished her treatment first.
If only someone had bothered to tell her...
'this is the way things are. Not the way you want them to be.'
Maybe she would be gotten better.
But nobody there told her it was bad for her.
We feel like they killed her at the hospital.
Because they didn’t treat her
the way a human being should be treated.
How many women have to die?
How many mothers have to die?
How many sisters have to die?
How many daughters have to die?
How many women have to die?
One more death is too much.
Therapeutic abortion saves lives.