Savita was told it’s a ‘Catholic thing’

Hotly disputed remarks that labelled Ireland as a country that denies a termination to seriously ill women who are miscarrying were admitted for the first time yesterday.

Ever since his wife died at Galway University Hospital on Oct 28, Praveen Halappanavar has insisted that his pregnant wife Savita was repeatedly refused a termination because “Ireland is a Catholic country”.

Mrs Halappanavar was in the process of losing her unborn baby at 17 weeks when she had a conversation in her hospital room with midwife manager Ann Maria Burke on Oct 23.

Giving evidence to Mrs Halappanavar’s inquest in Galway yesterday, Ms Burke said that Savita was upset when she checked the baby’s heartbeat at about 11.45am.

West Galway coroner Ciaran MacLoughlin interjected to ask about the controversial remarks as detailed by Savita’s friend, Mrudula Vasepalli, in earlier evidence. Ms Vasepalli had stated that the midwife said that a termination was not possible because “we don’t do that, dear. It’s a Catholic thing”.

Ms Burke told the coroner: “Yes. I’m very upset about this. I didn’t mean it in a hurtful way. It was said in the context of different cultures — she was from India...

“It was not in a context to offend her. I don’t think I came across as insensitive. I didn’t mean it”.

The midwife explained that she was aware that Mrs Halappanavar had earlier been advised that a termination was not possible at that time and she was simply trying to explain that it was the law of the land.

Dr MacLoughlin said: “It went around the world. It should be stated that our hospitals do not follow the dogma of any religious persuasion”.

Ms Burke said it was something she regretted. “It was giving her information because she was puzzled. My back was to the wall. I really had to say something.

“I probably shouldn’t have said it. It probably came out the wrong way. I’m sorry I said it.”

John O’Donnell, for Mr Halappanavar, thanked Ms Burke for her honesty and the midwife told Declan Buckley, for the hospital, that she had not used the word “dear”.

Her conversation with Mrs Halappanavar was nothing more than a chat and she recalled there was another lady in the room. Savita had said it would have been possible to have a termination in India, but Ms Burke told her it was not in her remit to do a termination.

“This was nothing to do with her care or the doctor’s instructions. She had mentioned how things happened in India... I was trying to be as explanatory as I could and why a different system applied here,” Ms Burke said.