WOMAN forced to travel to England for an abortion because her baby had no chance of survival has called for the law to be changed.
Even though her baby had not developed a skull and was completely brain dead Sarah Ewart was refused a termination under the current legislation.
Instead, doctors said she would have to wait for the baby to die then have an induced labour.
"Before this happened to me, I didn't agree with abortion but this is medical - this is a dead body I'm being forced to carry in Northern Ireland because of this silly law," she said.
Ms Ewart and her husband received the devastating news that something was wrong with their unborn child during a recent 20-week scan.
Speaking on The Stephen Nolan radio show yesterday, she said: "We were told we were carrying a baby with anencephaly - it's the worst case of spina bifida so the baby has no skull formed and it's brain dead.
"It's very hard to come to terms with." "...they said that they don't offer terminations in Northern Ireland so my only choice really was to carry the baby either until it passes away inside me or I can deliver and it would pass away," she said.
In Northern Ireland abortion is not illegal but is very tightly controlled.
The procedure is permitted only if the life or mental health of the mother is at serious risk.
Foetal abnormality does not constitute grounds for an abortion in the region, which is not covered by the 1967 Abortion Act.
Health minister Edwin Poots said he had asked his officials to consider the case to ensure "everything has been done that we would expect to be done, within the confines of the legal position that exists in Northern Ireland".
Last night justice minister David Ford said he was seeking a joint consultation with the Department of Health on the matter.
Ms Ewart, who has called for the legislation to be re-examined, travelled to London earlier this week for a termination - at a cost of £1,350 not including flights and accommodation - a move she said added to her trauma.
She said her ordeal was made even worse after being abused by protesters after seeking advice from the Family Planning Clinic in Belfast.
"And they don't know your set of circumstances. I'm not getting rid of a child because I feel like it. If this child had Downs Syndrome, I wouldn't even have been dreaming of doing this. But this child is already dead before it's born, there is no choice.
"There is no treatment. There is no skull. There is no brain. There is nothing that they can make grow to make this baby live. This baby is brain dead. It's just a dead body, that's it."
"This is medical. It may not harm me but this is a dead body I am carrying and I am being forced to carry in Northern Ireland because of this silly law."
Audrey Simpson from the Family Planning Association, said Ms Ewart's position "is not unique".
"Our position here in Northern Ireland, with regard the law has been criticised by human rights bodies throughout.
"I hope that Minister Poots, that the Department of Justice, that the Attorney General and that MLAs have listened to Sarah's story because that's the real story.
"Sarah said herself that this would be with her for the rest of their life. That is very clearly showing that woman's mental health will be seriously affected."
* REFUSED: Left, Sarah Ewart, who plans to travel to England to have an abortion after being refused a termination in Northern Ireland. Ms Ewart has been told that her baby has no chance of survival. Right, health minister Edwin Poots has asked officials in his department to consider Ms Ewart's case