SAVITA’S OBSTETRICIAN TAKES THE STAND

Date Published: 09-Apr-2013

The consultant obstetrician who treated Savita Halappanavar has begun giving evidence at an inquest into the 31 year old’s death from septicaemia following a miscarriage at Galway University Hospital last October.

Dr Katherine Astbury has told the hearing that a decision was taken on Wednesday October 24th to deliver the foetus regardless of whether it had a heartbeat as there was a real and substantial risk to the mother’s life.

The inquest has heard she will deny ever telling Savita that she couldn’t terminate the pregnancy because this was a Catholic country.

Dr Astbury has offered her condolences to widower Praveen Halappanavar and Savita’s family.

She will continue her evidence tomorrow.