Women should have wide variety of options

It seems that everybody involved in the process of childbirth, with the notable exception of the mother, will decide the fate of an unviable unborn child in any planned legislation.

Obviously, the threat of suicide by the hardline anti-choice Fine Gael party has almost been completely ruled out as an option on legislation, despite the X case ruling by the Supreme Court.

There should be a wide variety of options open to women during a pregnancy, not the current position where there are almost none.

The recent case in Galway has punched a big hole in the anti-choice campaign because both foetus and mother are dead and there is no possibility of a woman in her prime having more children, should she decide to do so, because it’s a “Catholic country”. The right of the mother to choose has been completely expunged.

Any legislation in the hands of an almost entirely Catholic Dáil will almost certainly shore up the position for the hardline prolifers and may do nothing to make childbirth less dangerous.

Maurice Fitzgerald

Shanbally

Co Cork