Forum to examine discredited birth operation

national | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Sunday October 25, 2009 18:39 by Marie O Connor - FEMINIST OPEN FORUM

Hundreds of women crippled in childbirth as doctors played god

The refusal of the Minister for Health to review the practice of symphysiotomy has prompted renewed calls for an independent inquiry into the operation. This week's Feminist Open Forum in Dublin will hear new evidence showing that the pelvis-severing surgery was driven, not by medical necessity, but by religious and other considerations.

FEMINIST OPEN FORUM
Public Meeting
Thursday 29 October 2009 at 7.30 pm
in
The Central Hotel, Exchequer St, Dublin 2

SYMPHYSIOTOMY
The Story of a Cruel Childbirth Practice in Ireland

Speakers
MARIE O'CONNOR Health Analyst and Author
JACKIE MORRISSEY Researcher and Lecturer

A survivor of symphysiotomy will also speak, as will Colm McGeehin, a
solicitor who represents over 100 women who are casualties of this
horrible childbirth operation.

Symphysiotomy is a discredited childbirth operation severing the
pelvis that persisted in Ireland until as recently as the 1980s.
Hundreds of Irish women were unknowingly subjected to the surgery:
many say they were left with severe and life-long side-effects,
including walking disabilities, chronic pain, incontinence and
depression.

Their doctors chose to perform symphysiotomy instead of Caesarean
section, a safer alternative. They saw Caesaread as leading women into
'temptation', the temptation to practice birth control.

The Minister for Health has again REFUSED TO REVIEW the latter-day
practice of this dangerous 18th century childbirth operation.