Woman forced to have transfusion because she’s a mother

September 24th, 2006 | by aobaoill |

A rather strange case from the Irish Times, about a woman who was given a blood transfusion (by direction of the High Court) against her will. She had lost blood while giving birth, and was refusing a blood transfusion because she is a Jehovah’s Witness. What’s intriguing about the court ruling is the rationale reportedly used by the judge:

He said the interest of her newborn child, a boy, who he was told was “in good shape”, was paramount and the baby could be left with no one in the State, as far as was known, to look after its welfare, if its mother passed away.

So the reason the court ordered the transfusion wasn’t the well-being of the mother, the patient, but because she was a mother. That Irish Humanists Association (what appears to be a new name for the former AIH, as I noticed while home over the summer – not sure if they merged with another group, but that’s another story) has come out against the ruling, and I can’t say I’m surprised.

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