Claims woman was ‘snookered’ into dangerous pregnancy challenged by Savethe8th

Questions have been raised about the claims of a woman who took part in a ‘vote yes’ press conference saying she was “snookered” into continuing her pregnancy, despite significant risks to her life.

Claire Malone (30) has pulmonary atresia and pulmonary hypertension, and had one lung was removed in 2014. She became unexpectedly pregnant in summer 2017.

Ms Malone spoke at an Amnesty International Ireland press conference today.

Mrs Malone told the Irish Times she had been “devastated” to discover she was pregnant: “My first question was: ‘Is this pregnancy going to kill me?’”

She said she thought she “was going to die” and considered having an abortion in Britain, or acquiring abortion pills, but felt this would be too dangerous without medical supervision.

“Everywhere I went, I felt snookered and became resigned that I was going to have to proceed with the pregnancy… There was no way out of that,” she said.

Her daughter’s birth on March 8 “definitely damaged my health”, she told the Irish Times, adding: “I’m delighted she’s here and I don’t regret her but if I had the situation again I’d have wanted a termination.”

The Save The 8th campaign has, however, questioned why the Irish Times account of Ms Malone’s pregnancy seems at “significant odds” to Ms Malone’s account as chronicled on her personal blog at the time, with the account published today “omitting key information”.

In blogposts published on https://ploddingalongquietlycrazy.wordpress.com/ Ms Malone describes the unplanned pregnancy as a “happy blooper”. She wrote just over a week after learning of her pregnancy “to be honest, I’m over the moon”.

On August 17, 2017 she posted: “We are aware of the risks but also aware that it’s worth proceeding with. Whatever the outcome. We hope for a happy healthy baby by the end of it all, but no matter what, this little one is loved before it ever makes its entrance and has brought us all a new feeling of hope and positivity.”

Later, on September 12, Ms Malone said she spoke to several specialists, saying: “I have been told that this pregnancy is high risk, but on evaluation I was advised I was ‘safe enough’ to proceed.”

“I was really happy with that outcome, but wishing the nine months were up to avoid all the drama in between.”

Ms Malone wrote on her blog that after asking specialists if she would die and receiving a variety of answers, she had decided to trust the people managing her medical care.

Save the 8th has called on the Irish Times and Amnesty to explain how the account of Ms Malone’s pregnancy being put forward now differs so dramatically now from how Mrs Malone described it during the pregnancy itself.

Doctors for Life Ireland has, meanwhile, said Ms Malone’s case shows that Ireland is a world leader in maternity care.

“This case is an example whereby Irish obstetricians, midwives and general practitioners continue to provide world-class medical care to women who experience high-risk pregnancies.”

They noted that Ms Malone’s “medical team were able to care for her in a complete and comprehensive manner” and that as a result of this care she “has a healthy baby daughter who is now six weeks old”.