WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A new rule that went into effect Saturday in Poland requiring pregnancy information to be uploaded to the national digital system has raised concerns among women’s groups that it could be another form of conservative government control over women’s lives means.
Women’s groups say the health ministry’s rules will allow authorities to monitor pregnancies through very strict anti-abortion laws as another means of control in the country.
The ministry denies this, saying the regulation stems from an EU directive and will help doctors treat patients by quickly providing them with vital information.
“In Poland today, every reproductive-related change, especially when it requires the collection of sensitive personal information, is met with malicious suspicion,” said Krystyna Kacpura, head of the FEDERA Foundation for Women and Family Planning.
FEDERA is calling for women to remain calm but wary of regulations commonly known as “pregnancy registration”.
Under Poland’s right-wing government, abortion is only allowed when the pregnancy threatens the woman’s health or results from a criminal act such as rape or incest. Women are not punished for having abortions, only those who perform or assist them are punished.
The rule that allows abortions of genetically defective fetuses has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Court, whose rulings generally align with the ruling party’s views.
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