Video still of mother reacting to daughter's death (© CNN 2012 Cable News Network, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., http://aka.ms/pregnantTeen)

Pregnant teen dies after docs deny chemo over abortion ban

8/19/2012

A teenager with leukemia has died after authorities refused, for nearly three weeks, to let her undergo chemotherapy because she was pregnant. The unnamed daughter of Rosa Hernandez was told by doctors she needed chemotherapy; however, there is a strict abortion ban in the Dominican Republic and the treatment was likely to terminate her pregnancy. At the time, she was 9 weeks along. The case spurred international outrage and, 20 days after being admitted, she finally got her treatment. However, the 16-year-old girl died on Friday and her mother, who had begged doctors to make an exception to save her life, says the system failed her. [Source]

Check out the msnNOW.com homepage to read more trending stories.

most recent

Should she have received the chemo?