Further evidence from consultant to be heard at Savita inquest

Savita Halappanavar's inquest continues today with further evidence from a consultant who treated the 31-year-old at Galway University Hospital where she died following a miscarriage.

Obstetrician Dr Katherine Astbury is expected to deny a claim by Savita's husband Praveen that she informed the couple the pregnancy could not be terminated because Ireland is a Catholic country.

Savita Halappanavar was told she was miscarrying her baby on her admission to hospital on Sunday October 21 last.

Clinical obstetrician Dr Katherine Astbury has given evidence at the inquest that in the absence of any risk to the 31-year-old's life the plan was to await events.

She said she told Savita on Tuesday morning that the legal position in Ireland did not permit her to terminate the pregnancy in her case at that time.

However by Wednesday Dr Astbury believed termination would be her only option as Savita had been diagnosed with an infection and her condition had deteriorated.

The inquest is also due to hear today from clinical midwife manager Ann Maria Burke about an alleged comment to Savita on abortion along the lines of

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Reporter with the Irish Times Kitty Holland said the dilemma which doctors now faced because of our current laws is likely to come to the fore when Dr Astbury gives evidence today.

"Is a woman's health not important as well as her life? Is a woman's health less important once she becomes pregnant in Irish law? These are the issues which I think are going to be explored today when Katherine Astbury is cross-examined," she said. "We're really going to see that dilemma doctors are in."