A US tourist has to fear for her life after serious complications during her pregnancy because of the strict abortion ban in Malta.
Andrea Prudente and her partner Jay Weeldreyer were on vacation on the Mediterranean island when she was hospitalized at 16 weeks pregnant with heavy bleeding, Weeldreyer told AFP news agency on Wednesday.
There, doctors found that Prudente's placenta had partially detached from the uterus.
Shortly thereafter, her waters ruptured and an ultrasound revealed "that the baby will not survive," Weeldreyer said.
But because the baby's heart was still beating, the law didn't allow doctors to perform an abortion.
"They're waiting for the heartbeat to stop, for Andrea to miscarry or get a life-threatening infection," Weeldreyer said.
Only then should the doctors intervene.
However, the US tourist fears that his partner would not survive a sepsis.
Doctors were gambling with his partner's life, he said.
"She's terrified."
Only EU country to completely ban abortion
The couple's insurance company tried to fly them out to a country with more liberal abortion laws.
However, because of the risk of miscarriage and potential complications, no one is willing to take her, Weeldreyer said.
The organization Doctors for Choice confirmed the case.
The fetus has "no chance of survival," said doctor Natalie Psaila of the AFP news agency.
For the mother, however, the situation is “very dangerous”.
The predominantly Catholic Malta is the only country in the EU to outright ban abortion, even if the fetus has no chance of surviving.