Two investigations are under way into the death of a woman who was 17 weeks pregnant, at University Hospital Galway last month. 31 years old Savita Halappanavar, a dentist, presented with back pain at the hospital on October 21st, was found to be miscarrying, and died of septicaemia a week later.

Savita and her husband Praveen had come to Ireland in 2008. She had trained as a dentist in India and passed the Irish Dental Council exams last year. She and Praveen settled in the Roscam area of Galway city. He works as an engineer with Boston Scientific and she had a dental job in Westport.

Praveen says his wife asked several times over a three-day period that the pregnancy be terminated. He says that, having been told she was miscarrying, and after one day in severe pain, she had asked for a medical termination.

This was refused, he says, because the foetal heartbeat was still present and they were told, “this is a Catholic country”.

She spent a further 2½ days “in agony” until the foetal heartbeat stopped.

The procedure then took place and Savita was taken to the high dependency unit and then the intensive care unit, where she died of septicaemia on the 28^th of October.

A candlelit vigil is now being planned for Savita in Galway this Saturday.

Galway Pro Choice spokesperson Rachel Donnelly says more woman will die unless the government acts now to legislate for abortion.