GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala — El Salvador’s Supreme Court shot down an appeal by a 22-year-old mother to terminate a pregnancy that has exacerbated her declining health and threatens her life, a decision that has drawn criticism from lawyers and rights groups.
Known by a pseudonym to protect her identity, Beatriz suffers from lupus and kidney disease, ailments which have been aggravated by a 26-week-old anencephalic fetus which she has been carrying and that will likely die shortly after birth.
Her doctors said after her 13th week of pregnancy that the best way for Beatriz to avoid further health problems, and possibly death, is to have a therapeutic abortion.
But the Supreme Court ruled this week that medics at the public maternity hospital attending to Beatriz have already complied with all medical standards, given sufficient treatment and that abortion cannot be allowed.
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