Abortion is prohibited in Poland, but since 1993 there has been an exception for pregnancies due to incest and rape, cases where there is a risk to the woman's health or if the fetus has serious injuries.
Initiative of PiS members
But the Polish Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday that the exemption for abortions in the event of serious birth defects is contrary to the Polish constitution.
The issue was raised by the court on the initiative of, among others, members of parliament from the ruling party "Law and Justice", PiS.
According to the members, the abortion exemption violates the right to life.
In 2016, PiS pushed the issue of a ban on abortions in the event of birth defects, but backed down after extensive protests.
Today, the majority of the judges in the Constitutional Court are elected by the parliament where PiS is in the majority.
In practice, a total ban
The majority of abortions performed in Poland are performed due to birth defects.
The court's decision thus means in practice a total ban in the country whose abortion laws are already among the strictest in Europe.
Amnesty International has followed the court proceedings on the spot and calls the outcome a day of mourning.
"Today's ruling by the Polish Constitutional Court means that many will resort to secret or unsafe abortions, especially those who cannot afford to travel or seek private care."