HSE to probe teen’s abortion refusal

The HSE is to carry out an investigation into the treatment of the immigrant teenager refused an abortion here despite being raped and certified suicidal.

However, the inquiry will be limited to the procedural and care aspects of the case and will not question the decision of a doctor or doctors to decline the young woman’s abortion request and deliver her severely premature baby by caesarean section instead.

HSE director general Tony O’Brien took the step amid growing concern over the case, which invoked the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act passed last year, with the aim of clarifying the handling of abortion requests by suicidal women.