Medical professionals say abortion 'not medically necessary'

A group of more than 140 international medical professionals has met in Dublin and concluded that abortion is never medically necessary to save the life of a mother.

The Symposium was organised by the Committee for Excellence in Maternal Healthcare, chaired by Prof Eamon O’Dwyer.
Read more about the Committee, and the Symposium, on the Committee's website.

The Symposium released the Dublin Declaration last weekend. It reads:

"As experienced practitioners and researchers in obstetrics and gynaecology, we affirm that direct abortion is not medically necessary to save the life of a woman.

“We uphold that there is a fundamental difference between abortion and necessary medical treatments that are carried out to save the life of the mother, even if such treatment results in the loss of life of her unborn child.

“We confirm that the prohibition of abortion does not affect, in any way, the availability of optimal care to pregnant women.”

Irish Times reports, "Eamon O’Dwyer, professor emeritus of obstetrics and gynaecology at NUI Galway and a conference organiser, said its outcome would provide “clarity and confirmation” to doctors and legislators dealing with these issues. . . Other members of the committee include Dr John Monaghan, Dr John Greene and palliative care nurse specialist Sinéad Dennehy."

The Irish Times says Dr Eoghan de Faoite, a spokesman for the group, told them that, although some of the medical professionals have opposed abortion in the past, it was not part of any pro-life campaign and that “All organisers were involved in their professional capacity and were not here to represent any pro-life position."

Read media report: Forum in Dublin on maternal health, Irish Times, 20 Sept 2012.

Read Lifesite News report: Abortion “absolutely never medically necessary”: maternal care expert symposium