The inquest into an Ottawa teenager’s death during an abortion heard evidence that the Civic Hospital was, at least in this case, performing illegal abortions.
Erin Shannon, aged 18, was admitted into the hospital at 8 a.m. on the morning of January 23. The admitting nurse testified that Erin’s name was on the list of the day’s abortions and that “it was marked approved.” This was two hours before the Therapeutic Abortion Committee (TAC) meeting was due to take place.
Further evidence showed that the Civic’s TAC is a “rubber stamp.” 2,000 abortions are performed at the hospital each year and last year every request was approved.
Erin died from an amniotic fluid embolism, which caused heart failure, about 35 minutes after the abortion procedure started.
The inquest Jury recommended that the TAC be reorganized and that obstetricians and gynaecologists be appointed to the committee. They asked that more information on the individual, including an ultra-sound, be provided to the TAC. They also recommended that women seeking abortions be given more information about the potential risk involved.
Full details of this inquest will appear in next month’s Interim.
