<p> A 31-year-old Indian woman died in Ireland from blood poisoning after doctors allegedly refused to perform an abortion stating "this is a Catholic country".<br /><br /></p>.<p>Irish authorities have launched a probe into the death of Savita Halappanavar, a dentist, who was 17 weeks pregnant and suffering a miscarriage and septicaemia at University Hospital Galway last month, The Irish Times reported today.<br /><br />Her husband, Praveen Halappanavar, an engineer at Boston Scientific in Galway, said that she asked several times over a three-day period that the pregnancy be terminated.<br /><br />Praveen said having been told she was miscarrying, and after one day in severe pain, Savita asked for a medical termination.<br /><br />This was refused, he says, because the foetal heartbeat was still present and they were told, "this is a Catholic country".<br /><br />The dead foetus was later removed and Savita was taken to the high dependency unit and then the intensive care unit, where she died of septicaemia on October 28.<br /><br />An autopsy carried out two days later found she died of septicaemia "documented ante-mortem" and E.coli ESBL. A hospital spokesperson confirmed the Health Service Executive had begun an investigation while the hospital had also instigated an internal investigation.<br /><br />Abortion is illegal in the Republic of Ireland.</p>
<p> A 31-year-old Indian woman died in Ireland from blood poisoning after doctors allegedly refused to perform an abortion stating "this is a Catholic country".<br /><br /></p>.<p>Irish authorities have launched a probe into the death of Savita Halappanavar, a dentist, who was 17 weeks pregnant and suffering a miscarriage and septicaemia at University Hospital Galway last month, The Irish Times reported today.<br /><br />Her husband, Praveen Halappanavar, an engineer at Boston Scientific in Galway, said that she asked several times over a three-day period that the pregnancy be terminated.<br /><br />Praveen said having been told she was miscarrying, and after one day in severe pain, Savita asked for a medical termination.<br /><br />This was refused, he says, because the foetal heartbeat was still present and they were told, "this is a Catholic country".<br /><br />The dead foetus was later removed and Savita was taken to the high dependency unit and then the intensive care unit, where she died of septicaemia on October 28.<br /><br />An autopsy carried out two days later found she died of septicaemia "documented ante-mortem" and E.coli ESBL. A hospital spokesperson confirmed the Health Service Executive had begun an investigation while the hospital had also instigated an internal investigation.<br /><br />Abortion is illegal in the Republic of Ireland.</p>