The Irish Government is planning to legalise abortion on suicide grounds in Ireland. But recent government hearings held by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children heard evidence from leading medical experts on this issue.
That evidence demolished the case for legalising abortion on suicide grounds.
6 key points that the experts made:
1. All of the medical experts agreed that abortion is never a treatment for suicidality
2. None knew of a case where an abortion was the only treatment for a woman who was suicidal
3. None knew of a case where a woman had died by suicide because abortion was not available
4. Senior psychiatrists testified that abortion would be "completely obsolete" in respect of a person who is extremely suicidal
5. Evidence was given that abortion can actually increase the risk of suicide
6. Experts confirmed that suicide in pregnancy is very rare - and that treatment for suicidality included providing safety, nursing, psychological treatment and medication
OTHER EVIDENCE
Psychiatrists from St Patricks' Hospital also wrote that there is no evidence that "medical experts are able to predict suicide. http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/...
The Chairman of the Irish Association of Suicidology has also said that that legislation based on the X case would create a 'logistical nightmare' for psychiatrists.
Eleven top psychiatrists have also written to the government advising them that abortion is not a treatment for suicidality. http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/...
John Bruton, the former leader of Fine Gael, has spoken out to oppose including suicide as a ground for abortion.
See full citations - and quotes from the experts: http://www.thelifeinstitute.net/curre...
