A former chairman of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Prof Eamon McGuinness, has vigorously defended the medical safety of Ireland’s pro-life laws. Writing in the Irish Times, Prof. McGuinness said a sustained campaign has been waged by some people, including several of his colleagues in obstetrics and gynaecology, to suggest that the Eighth Amendment put women’s lives at risk.

However, he said the Eighth Amendment has one medical effect only: it prevents Irish doctors from deliberately, as an elective matter, causing the death of an unborn child. “It does not restrict doctors from acting to save the life of a woman where a serious complication arises” and, in fact, Medical Council guidelines “oblige doctors to act, even if that means the baby’s life may be lost”.

He said spurious claims are being made about medical practice in Ireland such as that a woman who has cancer while pregnant cannot avail of chemotherapy in Ireland. “This is simply false, and it appals me that such a claim would ever be made about our health service”, he said.

“From where I am seated, it has been very disturbing to see what amounts to a campaign of fear and misinformation deployed to tarnish the image of Irish medicine and make Irish women fearful of the treatment they might receive”.

He concluded: “Terminations required to save a woman’s life are legal in Ireland. They have been legal since 1983. The amendment does not inhibit our ability to treat a woman. It does one thing only – it bans us from intentionally killing one of our patients. I shall vote to retain it”.