SW News: Pro-life organizations have welcomed revised amendments to Malta's abortion laws. The Malta government backed down on a law that would have permitted abortions when the mother's health was at risk. However, the government amended this legislation to only allow abortions in cases where the mother's life is in grave danger.

Various pro-life groups like Coalition for Life and Life Network Malta welcomed the revised legislation. The spokesperson of Life Network said that the amendment would codify the existing life-saving practices currently being applied in Malta and provide further safeguards for mothers, unborn babies, and doctors.

The former measure sparked opposition from pro-lifers who said the definition of a health risk was too broad. The proposed law will only allow for a pregnancy to be terminated if a mother's life is at immediate risk or her health is in grave jeopardy, which may lead to her death, Health Minister Chris Fearne said.

She added that termination might only occur once all other treatment has been exhausted and that terminations will not be allowed if it is determined that the fetus can live outside of the womb. Three doctors must agree upon this procedure, which may only occur in a licensed clinic.

However, pro-choice groups were far less pleased with the changes.

Currently, abortion laws prohibit anyone from getting the procedure and impose a penalty on the person who terminates a pregnancy and any person who assists them. It will remain illegal under all other circumstances, including rape, incest, and severe fetal abnormalities. Malta continues to have the most restrictive laws in Europe, with a Catholic tradition and culture influencing the abortion debate.

The amendment came after a US tourist, Andrea Prudente, was denied a request to abort a non-viable pregnancy in June 2022 when she started to bleed heavily. She was eventually sent to Spain, where she underwent an abortion after her physicians declared she was in danger of dying.

In the upcoming weeks, parliament is anticipated to pass the law in its amended form.