Polish health authorities stated Monday a woman who died in the fifth month of pregnancy had her patient rights violated. The patient died of sepsis in hospital after going into early labor. Hospital staff instructed the patient to lie with their legs up and did not perform a therapeutic abortion due to the presence of a fetal heartbeat.

Polish Minister of Health, Adam Niedzielski, stated, “[E]very woman in this country has the right to terminate her pregnancy in the event of a threat to her health or life.” To eliminate the confusion, Niedzielski announced a team to develop guidelines “related to the termination of pregnancy.” The team will consist of medical and mental health experts. Niedzielski made a point to say, “women in this team will play a significant role.”

Under current law, Poland has a near-total ban on abortion. The Constitutional Court ruled in 2020 that abortion in cases of severe and irreversible fetal abnormalities was unconstitutional. However, an abortion to save the life of the pregnant woman is still legal. Regardless of the law, many patients and health care providers remain unsure what abortions are legal.

The patient’s death comes during a wave of large protests against the nation’s Law and Justice (PIS) governing party. PIS bills itself as a national-conservative and Christian democratic political party. They have advanced policies criticized as infringements on women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights and  rights of immigrants and asylum seekers.