BUCHAREST (Reuters) - A Romanian government commission ruled on Friday that a pregnant 11-year-old girl could legally have a late-term abortion, in a case that has split the Black Sea state's conservative society.
Romanian law bans abortion after the 14th week of pregnancyunless the mother's health is at grave risk. Earlier thismonth, a hospital in northeastern Romania refused to terminatethe girl's pregnancy, saying it was too advanced.
Officials said this week the girl was between 20 and 21weeks pregnant. Local media have reported that she had told herparents she had been raped by her teenage uncle.
A commission of doctors and government officials ruled onFriday that the girl's mental health would be threatened if shewere to carry the pregnancy to term and care for her child.
"This pregnancy carries psychological risks as well asrisks of social exclusion and inability to act as a mother,"said Vlad Iliescu, deputy health minister. "In this case,current legislation allows for an abortion to be performed."
The girl's parents have discussed plans to potentially takeher to Britain, where abortion is legal up to 24 weeks.
"We wish for her to get an abortion with all our hearts,"the mother was quoted saying in Evenimentul Zilei daily. "Onlyan abortion would make her a child again."
Romania's health minister said Bucharest should takeanother look at abortion legislation to account for such cases,potentially opening up a debate in a country where abortion wasbanned under communism.
The plight of women seeking illegal abortions before the1989 fall of the communist regime became the subject of anational debate after a gritty film on the issue, "4 Months, 3Weeks and 2 Days" by Romanian director Cristian Mungiu, won thetop honour at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007.
(Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Additional reporting by IuliaRosca; Editing by Catherine Evans)
