Lisbon, Portugal, Aug 2, 2007 / 09:13 am
A significant number of doctors in Portugal have been exercising conscientious objection and refusing to perform abortions since the law authorizing abortions became effective July 15.
Portugal passed its abortion law, following a Feb. 11 referendum in which 59.3 percent of the votes were in favor of decriminalizing the procedure. The law allows for abortion up to 10 weeks gestation, or 16 weeks in cases of rape, and up to 24 weeks if the fetus has congenital malformation or an incurable disease.
According to IPS, very few women have been availing themselves of their right to abortions since mid-July because many doctors in public hospitals refuse to perform them.
This is contributing to delays in hospitals all over the country, where women are on waiting lists for mandatory counseling appointments. They must also have an ultrasound examination to determine gestational age, before being given a date for the procedure, which may be another15 days later, reported IPS.