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Romanian 11-year-old can legally abort pregnancy

27 Jun 2008 16:04:23 GMT
Source: Reuters

BUCHAREST, June 27 (Reuters) - A Romanian government commission ruled on Friday that a pregnant 11-year-old girl could legally have a late-term abortion, in a case that has split the Black Sea state's conservative society.

Romanian law bans abortion after the 14th week of pregnancy unless the mother's health is at grave risk. Earlier this month, a hospital in northeastern Romania refused to terminate the girl's pregnancy, saying it was too advanced.

Officials said this week the girl was between 20 and 21 weeks pregnant. Local media have reported that she had told her parents she had been raped by her teenage uncle.

A commission of doctors and government officials ruled on Friday that the girl's mental health would be threatened if she were to carry the pregnancy to term and care for her child.

"This pregnancy carries psychological risks as well as risks of social exclusion and inability to act as a mother," said Vlad Iliescu, deputy health minister. "In this case, current legislation allows for an abortion to be performed."

The girl's parents have discussed plans to potentially take her to Britain, where abortion is legal up to 24 weeks.

"We wish for her to get an abortion with all our hearts," the mother was quoted saying in Evenimentul Zilei daily. "Only an abortion would make her a child again."

Romania's health minister said Bucharest should take another look at abortion legislation to account for such cases, potentially opening up a debate in a country where abortion was banned under communism.

The plight of women seeking illegal abortions before the 1989 fall of the communist regime became the subject of a national debate after a gritty film on the issue, "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" by Romanian director Cristian Mungiu, won the top honour at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007. (Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Additional reporting by Iulia Rosca; Editing by Catherine Evans)

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