Doctors must balance between rights of mother and unborn

A pregnant woman who has brain trauma is being kept on life-support in hospital. Dr Conor O’Mahony examines the legal issues at stake

Why was life-support not turned off in this case?

While the Supreme Court has held that people have a constitutional right to die a natural death without having life prolonged by artificial means, the Constitution also says the State is obliged to defend and vindicate the right to life of the unborn.