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Abstracts of the
testimonies published in Women's Hell-Contemporary Stories.
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ALICJA,
31-years old, 3 children (aged 8, 7, 1), a client of social welfare for years. She suffers
from serious health problems with eyes: eyesight (- 24 diopters),
damaged retina, haemorrhages into her retina. Her older
children were born by caesarean section. She couldn't enforce her right to legal abortion.
Ophthalmologists refused to give opinion on her eyes status. Only one doctor dared to
issue the required opinion that pregnancy can be dangerous for her sight, even for her
life. The gynaecologist from public hospital to whom she was
referred for abortion services neglected this opinion and destroyed the document by which
he made impossible to use it in other public hospital. She could not afford illegal
abortion and had a baby. After the delivery her eyesight is in danger. She cannot work,
she cannot do anything what is connected with effort, she
cannot take proper care for her youngest child and is dependent on others. |
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| Maria is a
young woman; HIV-infected; under permanent medical treatment. The pregnancy constituted
the threat for her health because of advanced stage. Having the necessary referral to
hospital for legal abortion, she started to look for a hospital where this intervention
could have be done. She came to the Federation and asked for
help. Federation sent letters to 12 obstetrics-gynaecologist
hospitals. Half of them didn't respond to this urgent request at all. The rest of them
refused to perform abortion using different excuses such as: lack of necessary facilities.
Only one of the hospitals responded positively and provided abortion services. |
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| Barbara,
28-years old, 2 disabled children (4, 2-years old). Her first child was born with very
rare disease: hypochondroplasia with strong contractures.
It causes strong pains, disfigurement of joints, underdevelopment
of limbs. 2 years later in spite of using contraception she became pregnant again. One
doctor did not even know that abortion is legal on some conditions. He also refused give
her referral to do prenatal tests. Medical manager of that hospital said that even if the
tests showed any illness, nobody would perform abortion in this hospital: "Nobody
wants to have any problem". After long fight with the Polish healthcare bureaucracy
she delivered disabled daughter with the same illness as her son has. Having two very sick
children Barbara has no support from the state. |
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| Bożena, She
got pregnant at the age of 44. Although she wanted to have a baby, due to her age she had
prenatal tests. That examination showed that f¶tus has Down syndrome. She got referral to
the hospital for legal abortion. Although she fulfilled necessary requirements, director
of the hospital requested opinion of other doctors. One of them well-known for his
anti-abortion position disagreed. Therefore, the director of hospital refused to perform
abortion. She was discharged from the hospital. Her father who wanted to be informed about
her health, after being at that hospital and being treated rudely, got infarct. Finally, she found help in
another hospital. |
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| Violeta,
28-years old, 1 child (4-years old). She was indicted for murder of her child and was
sentenced to 10 years of prison. She was living with her partner for almost 2 years.
During that time she was raped and beaten many times. Her partner didn't let her even tell
anyone that she was pregnant. She delivered her second child at home. Immediately after
the delivery (20 minutes), her partner took the child away. She protested, but she was too
weak to do anything. Probably, he killed child and dug him outside. Finally, the court
indicted Violeta for the murder. Her partner got a sentence of 2 years in suspension. She
is in prison. He is free. |
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| Kasia,
20-years old, 1 child (1-year). When she got pregnant for a second time she decided to do
an illegal abortion. She didn't tell her parents about that. Only her husband knew. It was
quite advanced pregnancy, but doctor decided to do it at private cabinet. It cost about
4,500 PLN ($ 1,000). During the intervention the complications happened. The doctor took
her to the hospital 20 kilometres away instead of carrying her to the emergency ward 500
meters away. Unfortunately,
it was too late.
Kasia died. |
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| Magda, 31-years
old, 2 children (11, 10-years old). She had break in usage of hormonal pills and during
that period she was using condoms. Unfortunately, that protection failed. When she got
pregnant she felt unhappy and desperate. She was sure that she had to have abortion,
because she didn't want and was not able to become the mother for a third time. She
decided for illegal intervention. Friends helped her to collect money for that. It was
about 2,000 PLN ($ 500). She believes she had right to take this decision. |
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