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A DRAFT GOVERNMENT report on the carrying out of symphysiotomies on women in Ireland is due to be published this week.
The Irish Times said today that the report states that the laws of the Catholic Church influenced the use of syphysiotomies in Ireland.
The full details of the report, which is due to be released on Thursday, have so far been released to the women concerned.
The Government-commissioned draft looks into the use of the procedure, which unhinged and widened the pelvis for childbirth and led to women reporting they had suffered health problems as a result.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health said:
The Minister and the Department are conscious of the distress that symphysiotomy has caused to a number of women and recognise the pain that this issue has caused to those affected by it. The Government is committed to dealing with the women concerned sensitively and the first priority is to make sure that the health needs of those who have had a symphysiotomy are met quickly and effectively.
They added that details of how to access a copy of the report will be on the Department’s website on Thursday.
The draft report has already been circulated to let the women concerned have first sight of it before it is made public.
The spokesperson added that “it is important to note the publication of this report is only the first phase in the process”.
The second phase of the research is a consultation process. During the consultation period, feedback is being sought from all relevant stakeholders with experience of the procedure.
A number of women from the Survivors of Symphysiotomy (SOS) group were in Leinster House on 15 March for a Dáil debate on the procedure.
Many of the women who underwent a symphysiotomy, which widened a woman’s pelvis during labour, were left with life-long chronic pain and other medical issues.
The group want to see the statute bar lifted so that they can seek redress through the courts for damage caused to them.
An independent researcher who submitted a draft report on the procedure in January 2012 said that she had experienced some difficulties in accessing historical data.
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The report suggests the reason for the continued practice was linked to the “unswervingly Catholic ethos” of the hospital at the time. The hospital had an absolute ban on artificial contraception, even when it became both legal and broadly accepted in other hospitals.
The amount of damage ‘Catholic ethos’ has done to vulnerable communities here is almost incalculable.
There is still a ban on the prescription of contraception in hospitals with a catholic ethos.
The list of tertiary hospitals without a catholic ethos is pretty short.
It is ironic that the Catholic hierarchy are swanning around the RDS preaching redemption whilst these women are in chronic pain as a result of their policies.
And yet no sign of any apology, not a peep out of them. Disgusting.
I find this article very difficult to read . I suffer from chronic pain , but the pain and upset that was done to these women …on purpose, is deplorable. All thanks to religious ”values” where they preach that the family is all important. Yet they damaged irreparably ,one of the life and care givers in these families. Episiotomies were bad enough but ffs this is nightmarish. Some hospitals were against the epidural due to the ”ethos” of the same hospital until relatively recently…
I hope these women get satisfaction or acknowledgement of some sort or other and as another poster has said , there the good old catholic church are having a conference a few km’s away from these ladies ,enough said .
The ”unswervingly Catholic ethos” of the hospital at the time resulted in these women being mutilated and maimed for life. The unswervingly Catholic ethos of the country at the time also resulted in children being tortured, raped, buggered and incarcerated.
The legacy of this Institution is appalling and while the current consensus seems to indicate a less ”spiritual” attachment to the regime and a selective rejection of it’s dogma 84% of the Irish people are happy to associate themselves with, what now appears to be considered, it’s cultural legacy! Unbelievable!!
What will it take to remove the ‘ethos’ excuse in hospitals and schools that has caused so much damage to the people who these facilities were set-up to help and protect? Not one state school or hospital in the UK or France has this requirement and it does not impact one way or the other on the delivery of services. Doctors have their own ethos to apply to, teachers who complete a HDip could also fulfil an oath to protect and educate children, and that should be the end of it – remove these parasite from their only vestige of control, and let people decide their belief based on their belief, not access to service.
The list of tertiary hospitals WITHOUT a catholic ethos is pretty short. Within the catholic hospitals the prescription of contraception is technically not allowed.
this procedure was used on me in castlepollard and here in uk a couple of doctors commented while i was in labour but i never fully understood till i looked it up today and yes it fits with my constant aches and pains ..running the loo .. i had pre enclampsia and went blind as the supposed nurse smith came towards me i was 16 yrs old been in labor since friday mornng its now monday afternoon .. then i go blind .. 24 hrs later i come round .. in chronic pain and hips killing .. other girls never mentioned anything to me .. its been in my head for years that my pelvic bone area is in 2 halves almost as it moves if i say try and move something with my foot as leverage i cannot it feels like its come apart …ive had those suspisions for years and what with the doctors comments it all adds up
whoever made these decisions and for whatever reasons is almost certainly never going to be fully understood . the important thing now is that all of the incredibly brave women who endured this barbaric procedure , including my own lovely mom ,are treated with the dignity and respect that they so deserve . the government need to stand up and look after the ladies now . give them access to their medical files, redress through the courts and proper medical care .
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