Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013

Review of relevant decision

13. (1) The review committee shall complete its review of a relevant decision as soon as may be but, in any event, not later than 7 days from the date on which the review committee was established and convened under section 12 (1).

(2) The review committee shall, for the purposes of reaching a determination on its review of the relevant decision, examine the pregnant woman.

(3) Where the review committee has completed its review of the relevant decision and is satisfied in good faith that—

(a) there is a real and substantial risk of loss of the pregnant woman’s life from a physical illness or by way of suicide, as the case may be, and

(b) in its reasonable opinion (being an opinion formed in good faith which has regard to the need to preserve unborn human life as far as practicable) that risk can only be averted by carrying out a medical procedure referred to in section 7 (1) or 9 (1), as the case may be,

the committee shall, subject to section 19 , jointly certify that it is so satisfied and, as soon as may be, give notice in writing of its determination to the woman (or, if the application under section 10 (2) concerned was made by another person on behalf of the woman, to that other person) and the Executive.

(4) Where the review committee has completed its review of the relevant decision and is not satisfied as referred to in subsection (3), it shall, as soon as may be, give notice in writing of its determination to the pregnant woman (or, if the application under section 10 (2) concerned was made by another person on behalf of the woman, to that other person) and the Executive.

(5) Subject to section 19 , the certifying obstetrician shall—

(a) forward, or cause to be forwarded, the section 13 certification to an appropriate institution, and

(b) make such arrangements as may be necessary for the carrying out of the medical procedure to which the section 13 certification relates at the appropriate institution.

(6) In subsection (3) “jointly certify”, in relation to the review committee, means that all of the members of the committee make the section 13 certification concerned.