Praveen
Halappanavar repeated his claim that a doctor, named at the inquest in Galway
as Dr Katherine Astbury, told him that a termination could not be performed
because "this is a Catholic country".
His 31-year-old wife, Savita, died at
University College hospital in Galway on 28 October last year, eight days after
being admitted. She had been 17 weeks pregnant. Her case has become the focus
of international debate and protests over Ireland's strict laws on
abortion.
Halappanavar
told the inquest that he and his wife had been sent home from the hospital on
Sunday 21 October, but returned a couple of hours later because she was in
severe pain. He was later told that his wife was miscarrying.
"Savita
was crying loudly," Halappanavar told the court. He said a doctor told
him: "'You have to be brave' – he said the baby won't arrive. Both of us
were shattered – we didn't know what to do."
The
following Tuesday when they returned to the hospital, Halappanavar said, they
both asked the medical team to perform a termination. In total the couple made
three requests for an emergency termination, he said.
"Savita asked for a termination two times.
Savita was in tears. She said she could not take it. The doctor did not come
back that day," Halappanavar said. "Savita asked a doctor when she
could plan the next pregnancy. She was told she had to get well first. She
wanted a termination; she wanted it before her parents arrived back in India and started telling people
she was pregnant."
Halapannavar
said his wife then asked Astbury on the Tuesday for the termination. He claimed
that the couple were told: "This is a Catholic country – we cannot
terminate because the foetus is still alive."
He
said his wife then told the doctor that she was a Hindu and not an Irish
citizen.
Declan
Buckley, the senior barrister for the hospital and for the Republic's Health
Service Executive, said there were differences between what Halappanavar said
happened and the hospital's account.
Halappanavar
claimed to the inquest that retrospective entries had been made in the medical notes.
The
inquest has been told that the evidence of Astbury, a consultant obstetrician,
will say there was only one discussion about a termination, on Tuesday 23
October.
Astbury
says a termination was not warranted at that time as there was no threat to Mrs
Halappanavar's life.
The
inquest, chaired by Dr Ciaran McLoughlin, continues.