The HSE is not objecting to the withdrawal of life support of a pregnant woman who’s been declared brain dead.
A special sitting of the High court is taking place in Dublin this lunchtime – as the woman's family want to end life support.
However some doctors treating the woman expressed concern about the right to life of the unborn – which is protected by the Constitution.
The HSE says its position is that it is not practicable to vindicate any right to life of the unborn child by continuing life support, and as a result it supports the ‘discontinuance of somatic measures’ in relation to the mother.
The court has heard evidence that there are so few cases internationally of a child of this level of gestation surviving its mother’s death, that it would not be defined as a standard of practice.
To further complicate matters, the mother is suffering a range of infections, and her condition is deteriorating.
Dr Peter Boylan said that legal guidelines would be helpful to doctors in this case, and that repealing the 8th amendment to the Constitution would be more helpful.
The hearing is continuing.
