Polish government announces new guidelines reaffirming legality of abortion
Previously, abortion was only possible in the case of a pregnancy that was the result of rape or incest or in a situation of extreme danger to a pregnant woman's health.
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00:00The Polish government has announced new guidelines aimed at facilitating safe access to abortion.
00:08The rules, published by the health ministry, say that a recommendation by one specialist
00:12doctor is enough for a woman to obtain a legal abortion in hospital.
00:17The doctor performing the procedure will not be liable for prosecution.
00:21Previously, abortion was only possible in the case of a pregnancy that was the result
00:25of sexual abuse or in a situation of extreme danger to the pregnant woman's health.
00:31Those regulations led to a number of deaths across the country after doctors refused to
00:35perform an abortion for fear of being punished.
00:39Doctors or persons who helped to procure an abortion faced up to three years in prison.
00:45The new guidelines say hospitals that refuse to perform an abortion on a woman with a medical
00:49referral could be fined up to 115,000 euros or lose their National Health Fund contract.