{"id":27255,"date":"2023-09-11T21:49:33","date_gmt":"2023-09-11T21:49:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/?p=27255"},"modified":"2023-09-17T23:00:37","modified_gmt":"2023-09-17T23:00:37","slug":"pregnancy-termination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/pregnancy-termination\/","title":{"rendered":"Pregnancy Termination"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_63 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/pregnancy-termination\/#Risk_to_life_or_health\" title=\"Risk to life or health\">Risk to life or health<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/pregnancy-termination\/#Risk_to_life_or_health_in_emergency\" title=\"Risk to life or health in emergency\">Risk to life or health in emergency<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/pregnancy-termination\/#Condition_likely_to_lead_to_death_of_foetus\" title=\"Condition likely to lead to death of foetus\">Condition likely to lead to death of foetus<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/pregnancy-termination\/#Early_pregnancy\" title=\"Early pregnancy\">Early pregnancy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/pregnancy-termination\/#Application_for_review_of_medical_opinion\" title=\"Application for review of medical opinion\">Application for review of medical opinion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/pregnancy-termination\/#Establishment_of_review_panel\" title=\"Establishment of review panel,\">Establishment of review panel,<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/pregnancy-termination\/#Review_of_relevant_decision\" title=\"Review of relevant decision\">Review of relevant decision<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/pregnancy-termination\/#Review_committee\" title=\"Review committee\">Review committee<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/pregnancy-termination\/#Report_by_HSE_on_operation_of_reviews\" title=\"Report by HSE on operation of reviews\">Report by HSE on operation of reviews<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/pregnancy-termination\/#Form_of_certification_etc\" title=\"Form of certification etc.\">Form of certification etc.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/pregnancy-termination\/#Notifications\" title=\"Notifications\">Notifications<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/pregnancy-termination\/#Consent\" title=\"Consent\">Consent<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/pregnancy-termination\/#Offences\" title=\"Offences\">Offences<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/pregnancy-termination\/#Prohibition_against_receiving_special_benefits_or_advantages\" title=\"Prohibition against receiving special benefits or advantages\">Prohibition against receiving special benefits or advantages<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/pregnancy-termination\/#Services_for_women_in_accordance_with_Act_of_2018\" title=\"Services for women in accordance with Act of 2018\">Services for women in accordance with Act of 2018<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/pregnancy-termination\/#Key_Definitions\" title=\"Key Definitions\">Key Definitions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Risk_to_life_or_health\"><\/span>Risk to life or health<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A termination of pregnancy may be carried out in accordance with the 2018 legislation where 2 medical practitioners, having examined the pregnant woman, are of the reasonable opinion formed in good faith that\u2014<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>there is a risk to the life, or of serious harm to the health, of the pregnant woman,<\/li>\n<li>the foetus has not reached viability, and<\/li>\n<li>it is appropriate to carry out the termination of pregnancy in order to avert the risk<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cviability\u201d means the point in a pregnancy at which, in the reasonable opinion of a medical practitioner, the foetus is capable of survival outside the uterus without extraordinary life-sustaining measures.<\/p>\n<p>Of the 2 medical practitioners one shall be an obstetrician, and the other shall be an appropriate medical practitioner. A termination of pregnancy shall not be carried out unless each of the medical practitioners has certified his or her opinion as to the relevant matters.<\/p>\n<p>The termination of pregnancy to which the certification relates shall be carried out by the obstetrician involved.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Risk_to_life_or_health_in_emergency\"><\/span>Risk to life or health in emergency<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Notwithstanding the above or any determination made or pending for an application below, a termination of pregnancy may be carried o by a medical practitioner where, having examined the pregnant woman, he or she is of the reasonable opinion formed in good faith that\u2014<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>there is an immediate risk to the life, or of serious harm to the health, of the pregnant woman, and<\/li>\n<li>it is immediately necessary to carry out the termination of pregnancy in order to avert that risk.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Where a medical practitioner proposes to carry out a termination of pregnancy under this provision he or she shall certify his or her opinion as to the required matters before carrying out the termination of pregnancy concerned, or where it is not practicable to do so beforehand , as soon as may be but, in any event, not later than 3 days after the carrying out of the termination of pregnancy concerned.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Condition_likely_to_lead_to_death_of_foetus\"><\/span>Condition likely to lead to death of foetus<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A termination of pregnancy may be carried out iwhere 2 medical practitioners, having examined the pregnant woman, are of the reasonable opinion formed in good faith that there is present a condition affecting the foetus that is likely to lead to the death of the foetus either before, or within 28 days of, birth.<\/p>\n<p>Of the 2 medical practitioners one shall be an obstetrician, and the other shall be a medical practitioner of a relevant specialty.<\/p>\n<p>A termination of pregnancy shall not be carried out unless each of the medical practitioners has certified his or her opinion as to the matters concerned. The termination of pregnancy to which the certification relates shall be carried out by the relevant obstetrician<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Early_pregnancy\"><\/span>Early pregnancy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A termination of pregnancy may be carried out by a medical practitioner where, having examined the pregnant woman, he or she is of the reasonable opinion formed in good faith that the pregnancy concerned has not exceeded 12 weeks of pregnancy.<\/p>\n<p>A termination of pregnancy under this provision shall not be carried out unless the medical practitioner has certified his or her opinion as to this matter. The termination of pregnancy shall not be carried out by a medical practitioner unless a period of not less than 3 days has elapsed from\u2014<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>the date of certification by that medical practitioner, or<\/li>\n<li>where a certification was previously made in respect of the pregnancy by another medical practitioner , the date of that previous certification.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A termination of pregnancy to which the certification rrelates shall be carried out as soon as may be after the period referred to above, as the case may be, has elapsed but before the pregnancy has exceeded 12 weeks of pregnancy. \u201c12 weeks of pregnancy\u201d is interpreted in accordance with the medical principle that pregnancy is generally dated from the first day of a woman\u2019s last menstrual period.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Application_for_review_of_medical_opinion\"><\/span>Application for review of medical opinion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Where a medical practitioner, who has been requested to give an opinion in respect of a pregnant woman in relation to\u00a0 the risk to life or health or fatal foetal condition circumstances<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>does not give an opinion, or<\/li>\n<li>gives an opinion but not such as would be required for the purposes of risk to life or health\/ fatal foetal condition certification, as the case may be,<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>he or she shall inform the pregnant woman in writing that an application may be made ito review the relevant decision. A pregnant woman, or a person acting on her behalf, may make an application in the prescribed form and manner to the HSE for a review of a relevant decision.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Establishment_of_review_panel\"><\/span>Establishment of review panel,<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The HSE shall establish and maintain a panel of medical practitioners, for the purposes of the establishment of a review committee in relation to the above decision.<\/p>\n<p>The membership of the review panel shall consist of medical practitioners who are registered in the Specialist Division of the register, and medical practitioners of relevant specialties.<\/p>\n<p>The HSE shall revoke the appointment of a member of the panel who ceases to be a medical practitioner.<\/p>\n<p>As soon as may be but, in any event, not later than 3 days from the date on which it receives an application , the HSE shall establish and convene\u00a0 a committee, the membership of which shall, drawn from the review panel to review the relevant decision that is the subject of the application.<\/p>\n<p>A review committee shall consist of an obstetrician, and in the case of\u2014<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>a review of a relevant decision which relates to the risk to life or health circumstances an appropriate medical practitioner, or<\/li>\n<li>a review of a relevant decision which relates to the fatal foetal condition ircumstances , a medical practitioner of a relevant specialty.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A medical practitioner shall be disqualified from sitting on the review committee where he or she has previously been consulted by the pregnant woman in relation to the matter that is the subject of the relevant decision to be reviewed by the committee.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Review_of_relevant_decision\"><\/span>Review of relevant decision<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The review committee shall complete its review of a relevant decision as soon as may be but, in any event, not later than 7 days from the date on established and convened. Where the review committee, having examined the pregnant woman, has completed its review of the relevant decision and is of the reasonable opinion formed in good faith that\u2014<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>there is a risk to the life, or of serious harm to the health, of the pregnant woman,<\/li>\n<li>the foetus has not reached viability, and<\/li>\n<li>it is appropriate to carry out a termination of pregnancy in order to avert the risk or<\/li>\n<li>there is present a condition affecting the foetus that is likely to lead to the death of the foetus either before, or within 28 days of, birth,<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>the committee shall jointly certify their opinion as to the relevant matters as the case may be, and, as soon as may be, give notice in writing of its determination to the pregnant woman (or, if the application under section 13 (2) concerned was made by another person on behalf of the woman, to that other person and the pregnant woman) and the HSE.<\/p>\n<p>Where the review committee makes a certification it shall make such arrangements as may be necessary for the carrying out of the termination of pregnancy to which that certification relates (risk to life or health\/ fatal foetal condition) as the case may be.<\/p>\n<p>Where the review committee has completed its review of the relevant decision and is not of the required opinion, it shall, as soon as may be, give notice in writing of its determination to the pregnant woman (or, if the application under section 13 (2) concerned was made by another person on behalf of the woman, to that other person and the pregnant woman) and the HSE.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Review_committee\"><\/span>Review committee<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The review committee may, for the purposes of its review of a relevant decision, by direction in writing require a medical practitioner or former medical practitioner at such time and place as may be specified in the direction\u2014<\/p>\n<p>to produce to the committee such documents or other records in his or her possession or control as the committee may reasonably require and as are specified in the direction, and \/ or to attend before the committee and to give to the committee such assistance and answer such questions as it may reasonably require.<\/p>\n<p>A person who fails or refuses, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a direction shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a class C fine. Summary proceedings for an offence u may be brought and prosecuted by the HSE.<\/p>\n<p>The pregnant woman shall be entitled to be heard by the review committee and, where the woman or a person acting on her behalf informs the committee that she wishes to be heard, the committee shall make such arrangements as may be necessary in order to hear the woman or a person acting on her behalf.<\/p>\n<p>The review committee may, subject to the provisions of the legilation, determine its own procedures. The HSE shall provide, or arrange for the provision of, such administrative facilities as may be necessary to enable the review committee to perform its functions.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Report_by_HSE_on_operation_of_reviews\"><\/span>Report by HSE on operation of reviews<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The HSE shall, not later than 30 June in each year, prepare and submit to the Minister a report on the operation of reviews under this Part in the immediately preceding year, and the Minister shall, as soon as may be after receiving the report, cause copies of the report to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.<\/p>\n<p>The report, in respect of the year that is the subject of the report,shall include information on\u2014<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>the total number of applications for review u received by the HSE<\/li>\n<li>the number of reviews carried out,<\/li>\n<li>in the case of the reviews carried out, the reason why the review was sought, and<\/li>\n<li>the outcome of the reviews.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In preparing a report under this section, the HSE shall exclude from the report information that identifies, or that could reasonably lead to the identification of\u2014<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>a woman who has made an application for review , or in respect of whom such an application has been made by a person acting on her behalf,<\/li>\n<li>a person who has made an application for review on behalf of a pregnant woman, or<\/li>\n<li>a medical practitioner who has\u2014\n<ul>\n<li>made a relevant decision,<\/li>\n<li>carried out a review,<\/li>\n<li>complied with above direction or otherwise assisted a committee in a review, or<\/li>\n<li>carried out a termination of pregnancy following a review.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The HSE shall arrange for a report laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas into be published in such form and manner as it thinks appropriate as soon as practicable after copies of the report are so laid.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Form_of_certification_etc\"><\/span>Form of certification etc.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A certification shall be made in the prescribed form and manner. It ontain the prescribed information which shall include confirmation of whether the termination of pregnancy to which the certification relates was the subject of a review, and the clinical grounds for carrying out the termination of pregnancy to which the certification relates shall be stated.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Notifications\"><\/span>Notifications<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Where a termination of pregnancy is carried out on one of the above bases, the medical practitioner who carried out the termination of pregnancy shall keep, a record, in the prescribed form and manner, of\u2014<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>the carrying out of the termination of pregnancy, and<\/li>\n<li>the Medical Council registration number attached to the registration of the medical practitioner who carried out the termination of pregnancy;<\/li>\n<li>whether the termination of pregnancy was carried out pursuant to one of the certified conditions and the Medical Council registration number attached to the registration of the medical practitioner, or each of the medical practitioners, who made the certification concerned;<\/li>\n<li>the county of residence, or in the case of a woman who resides outside the State, the place of residence, of the pregnant woman in respect of whom the termination of pregnancy was carried out;<\/li>\n<li>the date on which the termination of pregnancy was carried out.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Not later than 28 days after the termination of pregnancy has been carried out, he or she shall forward, or cause to be forwarded, a copy of that record, or such part of that record as may be prescribed, to the Minister in such manner as may be prescribed.<\/p>\n<p>The Minister shall, not later than 30 June in each year, prepare a report on the notifications received by him or her under this section during the immediately preceding year, and shall, as soon as may be after preparing the report, cause copies of the report to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.<\/p>\n<p>The Minister shall arrange for a report laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas to be published in such form and manner as he or she thinks appropriate as soon as practicable after copies of the report are so laid.<\/p>\n<p>In preparing a report under this section, the Minister shall exclude from the report information that identifies, or that could reasonably lead to the identification of ) a medical practitioner and a woman referred to.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Consent\"><\/span>Consent<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Nothing in the legislaiton affect any enactment or rule of law relating to consent to medical treatment.<\/p>\n<p>Conscientious objection<\/p>\n<p>Nothing in the legislation is to be interpreted as obliging any medical practitioner, nurse or midwife to carry out, or to participate in carrying out, a termination of pregnancy in accordance with th3 2018 Act to which he or she has a conscientious objection. This does not affect any duty to participate in a termination of pregnancy where there is a risk to life or health in emergency<\/p>\n<p>A person who has a conscientious objection shall, as soon as may be, make such arrangements for the transfer of care of the pregnant woman concerned as may be necessary to enable the woman to avail of the termination of pregnancy concerned.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Offences\"><\/span>Offences<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It is an offence for a person, by any means whatsoever, to intentionally end the life of a foetus otherwise than in accordance with the provisions of the legilation.This is not to prevent or restrict access to services lawfully carried out in a place outside the State.<\/p>\n<p>It is an offence for a person to prescribe, administer, supply or procure any drug, substance, instrument, apparatus or other thing knowing that it is intended to be used or employed with intent to end the life of a foetus, or being reckless as to whether it is intended to be so used or employed, otherwise than in accordance with the provisions of the legilation.<br \/>\nThe above offences do not apply to a pregnant woman in respect of her own pregnancy.<\/p>\n<p>It is an offence for a person to aid, abet, counsel or procure a pregnant woman to intentionally end, or attempt to end, the life of the foetus of that pregnant woman otherwise than in accordance with the provisions of the legilation.<\/p>\n<p>A person who is guilty of the above offfences is liable on conviction on indictment to a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years, or both. A prosecution for such an offence may be brought only by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Prohibition_against_receiving_special_benefits_or_advantages\"><\/span>Prohibition against receiving special benefits or advantages<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A person who engages in or holds himself or herself out as providing information, advice or counselling (howsoever described) to members of the public in relation to termination of pregnancy within or outside the State may not receive or agree to receive, directly or indirectly, in consideration of a termination of pregnancy within or outside the State, or the making of any arrangements in relation to a termination of pregnancy within or outside the State, any special benefit or advantage. A person who does so is guilty of an offence He or she shall be liable on summary conviction to a class A fine.<\/p>\n<p>A \u201cspecial benefit or advantage\u201d, in relation to a relevant person, means a financial or other benefit or advantage different in kind or larger in amount, size or quantity than that that would be obtainable by the relevant person in respect of information, advice or counselling in relation to termination of pregnancy provided by the relevant person over and above the reasonable costs of the provision of such information, advice or counselling.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Services_for_women_in_accordance_with_Act_of_2018\"><\/span>Services for women in accordance with Act of 2018<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The HSE shall make available without charge medical, surgical and midwifery services for the purpose of termination of pregnancy in accordance with the 2018 legislation of 2018 for women who are ordinarily resident in the State. The services shall be provided otherwise than as in-patient services.<\/p>\n<p>A woman entitled to receive services under this provision may choose to receive them from any person who has entered into an agreement with the Health Service HSE for the provision of those services and who is willing to accept her as a patient.<\/p>\n<p>The services shall include the supply without charge of specified drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances for the purpose of a termination of pregnancy in accordance with the legislation standing approved by the Heath Service HSE, or on the Reimbursement List.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Definitions\"><\/span>Key Definitions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cappropriate medical practitioner\u201d, in relation to a medical practitioner and his or her assessment of the risk to the life, or of serious harm to the health, of a pregnant woman, means a medical practitioner appropriate to the care or treatment of the woman in respect of the risk;<\/li>\n<li>\u201cHSE\u201d means the Health Service HSE;<\/li>\n<li>\u201chealth\u201d means physical or mental health;<\/li>\n<li>\u201cmedical specialty\u201d means a medical specialty recognised by the Medical Council<\/li>\n<li>\u201cobstetrician\u201d means an obstetrician and gynaecologist;<\/li>\n<li>\u201cobstetrician and gynaecologist\u201d means a medical practitioner who is registered in the Specialist Division of the register under the medical specialty of \u201cObstetrics and Gynaecology\u201d;<\/li>\n<li>\u201crelevant specialty\u201d, in relation to a medical practitioner and his or her assessment of the presence of a condition affecting a foetus that is likely to lead to the death of the foetus either before, or within 28 days of, birth, means a medical specialty\u2014\n<ul>\n<li>in respect of which the medical practitioner is registered in the Specialist Division of the register, and<\/li>\n<li>relevant to the diagnosis, care or treatment of such a condition;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\u201creview\u201d, in relation to a relevant decision, means a review under section 16 ;<\/li>\n<li>\u201creview committee\u201d, in relation to a relevant decision, means the committee established u to review that decision;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<!--themify_builder_content-->\n<div id=\"themify_builder_content-27255\" data-postid=\"27255\" class=\"themify_builder_content themify_builder_content-27255 themify_builder tf_clear\">\n    <\/div>\n<!--\/themify_builder_content-->\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Risk to life or health A termination of pregnancy may be carried out in accordance with the 2018 legislation where 2 medical practitioners, having examined the pregnant woman, are of the reasonable opinion formed in good faith that\u2014 there is a risk to the life, or of serious harm to the health, of the pregnant [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[140],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27255"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27255"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27255\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27260,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27255\/revisions\/27260"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27255"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27255"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27255"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}