As previously reported by the Latin Times a woman in El Salvador has petitioned the court to allow her to undergo an abortion in order to save her own life. The woman identified only as Beatriz is afflicted with kidney disease and Lupus, a disease in which the body's immune system attacks and destroys healthy tissue.
Beatriz is 26-weeks pregnant and the fetus she is carrying is endangering her life. Beatriz was told by doctors that the fetus is missing a large part of its brain and skull. Once born the baby is not likely to survive more than a few hours. Carrying the pregnancy to term will endanger the health and life of the mother.
Abortion under any circumstances is illegal in El Salvador. The country has a large Catholic population and the Catholic Church has a strong opinion against abortion.
According to CBS News the Supreme Court in El Salvador ruled on Wednesday that Beatriz cannot have the abortion that will save her life, despite the fact that the fetus will not survive. Ultimately the court has sentenced Beatriz to death.
Her lawyers have exhausted all their options and have no place to send their appeals to since the Supreme Court is the highest court in El Salvador.
According to the New York Times the Supreme Court voted 4-to-1, denying Beatriz the abortion. The Times says the court cited the country's legal "absolute impediment to authorize the practice of abortion." The court ruled that the rights of the mother do not take precedence over the rights of the fetus.
A lawyer representing Beatriz told the media that the court ruling is "misogynistic." The lawyer said that there are no rights for women in El Salvador, asking how the court could place the rights of a dying fetus over the rights of a sick woman with a young child to care for at home.
CBS reports that one of Beatriz's lawyers has said if the doctors don't do something soon it is likely that Beatriz will not live much longer.
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