Poland, the consequences of the ban on abortion: Dorota dies of anaphylactic shock

She died of anaphylactic shock, 20 weeks pregnant: the membranes ruptured prematurely, but doctors didn’t intervene until the fetus was dead, in order not to violate the anti-abortion laws in force in Poland. Dorota was 33 years old and expecting her first child. She presented to the Podhalański hospital in Nowy Targ on May 21, during the night, due to leaking amniotic fluid, and she had no other complaints. Three days later, on May 24, doctors noted a significant deterioration in her health, then the patient died. “We have been informed that the cause of death was one septic shock with multiple organ failure», the family said. Septic shock, which is the last stage of sepsis development, caused circulatory and respiratory failure in Dorota.

Now her family wants to know exactly what happened to the woman from the time she was hospitalized until her death, when the fetus died, when her health deteriorated and what steps doctors took to prevent sepsis. The hospital director, Marek Wierzba, said shortly after the woman’s death that he would not comment. In the end, however, he explained to reporters that Dorota’s pregnancy was very complicated. “The woman was being monitored,” he said. “From what I hear from the head of the department, for some reason her condition deteriorated rapidly. After the fetus died, steps were taken to save the woman’s life. But, unfortunately, they were unsuccessful.”

In Poland, abortion is practically prohibited even in the most severe circumstances. Over two years ago, the last important exception to the ban on aborting pregnancy was eliminated: fetal anomalies. Only one in 10 Poles agrees with this type of legislation.

The family is defended by the lawyer Jolanta Budzowska, specialized in medical malpractice cases, who had already dealt with the case of Izabela Sajbor. About a year ago, she too died of septic shock, as doctors were waiting for her fetus to die after her water broke.