Abortion procedure. There are guidelines

Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna stressed that the guidelines on the current legal provisions on access to the abortion procedure will become the interpretation of the application of the law for doctors and medical entities. They are intended to ensure the health security of pregnant women and the legal security of doctors.

- According to the current law, we have two grounds for terminating a pregnancy: danger to life or health and when there is a reasonable suspicion that the pregnancy resulted from rape. With the threat to health or life being separate grounds. The law also speaks generally about the concept of health, so if a woman goes to, for example, a psychiatrist and the psychiatrist determines that there is a threat to mental health, the certificate issued from him is sufficient to terminate the pregnancy," Minister Izabela Leszczyna stressed.

According to the health minister, the guidelines make it clear that the law does not indicate that the threat to life or health must be sudden or immediate. The law also implies that a ruling from one doctor on the existence of a premise for terminating a pregnancy is sufficient. If a second opinion or consilium is required at the health care provider, this could be grounds for imposing a penalty on the health care provider. The National Health Service can also impose a penalty of up to 2 percent of the contract, and has the right to terminate the contract with the facility. Also, the Patient Ombudsman may in such a case impose a penalty of up to PLN 500,000 on the treatment entity.

Guidelines on current legislation on access to abortion procedure

Source: MZ