Marta Gonzalez
Encyclopedia
Martha Sulay González or Marta Solay González (1971–June 11, 2007) was a Colombian
woman whose case led to significant reforms in abortion law
in that country: as a direct response to the Gonzalez case, the Constitutional Court
decriminalized abortion under specific circumstances - most notably, the circumstance of significant risk to the mother's life.
In 2005, Gonzalez was two months pregnant with her fourth child, when a routine gynecological examination revealed that she was in the early stages of uterine cancer
. She sought radiation therapy
, but was denied because this would have terminated her pregnancy. By the time she gave birth, the cancer had metastasized
to her intestine
.
Abortion by country
Colombian people
Colombian people are from a multiethnic Spanish speaking nation in South America called Colombia. Colombians are predominantly Roman Catholic and are a mixture of Europeans, Africans, and Amerindians.-Demography:...
woman whose case led to significant reforms in abortion law
Abortion law
Abortion law is legislation and common law which pertains to the provision of abortion. Abortion has been a controversial subject in many societies through history because of the moral, ethical, practical, and political power issues that surround it. It has been banned frequently and otherwise...
in that country: as a direct response to the Gonzalez case, the Constitutional Court
Constitutional Court of Colombia
The Constitutional Court of Colombia is the highest entity in the judicial branch of government in the Republic of Colombia in charge of safeguarding the integrity and supremacy of the Colombian Constitution of 1991 within the Constitutional laws.However it is not the highest court of criminal...
decriminalized abortion under specific circumstances - most notably, the circumstance of significant risk to the mother's life.
In 2005, Gonzalez was two months pregnant with her fourth child, when a routine gynecological examination revealed that she was in the early stages of uterine cancer
Uterine cancer
The term uterine cancer may refer to any of several different types of cancer which occur in the uterus, namely:*Uterine sarcomas: sarcomas of the myometrium, or muscular layer of the uterus, are most commonly leiomyosarcomas.*Endometrial cancer:...
. She sought radiation therapy
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy , radiation oncology, or radiotherapy , sometimes abbreviated to XRT or DXT, is the medical use of ionizing radiation, generally as part of cancer treatment to control malignant cells.Radiation therapy is commonly applied to the cancerous tumor because of its ability to control...
, but was denied because this would have terminated her pregnancy. By the time she gave birth, the cancer had metastasized
Metastasis
Metastasis, or metastatic disease , is the spread of a disease from one organ or part to another non-adjacent organ or part. It was previously thought that only malignant tumor cells and infections have the capacity to metastasize; however, this is being reconsidered due to new research...
to her intestine
Intestine
In human anatomy, the intestine is the segment of the alimentary canal extending from the pyloric sphincter of the stomach to the anus and, in humans and other mammals, consists of two segments, the small intestine and the large intestine...
.
See also
- Abortion in ColombiaAbortion in ColombiaAbortion in Colombia is currently illegal except in case of the threat to life or health of the woman, if the pregnancy is the result of rape, or when the fetus is expected to die after birth because of severe fetal abnormalities...
- AbortionAbortionAbortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
Abortion by country
- Abortion lawAbortion lawAbortion law is legislation and common law which pertains to the provision of abortion. Abortion has been a controversial subject in many societies through history because of the moral, ethical, practical, and political power issues that surround it. It has been banned frequently and otherwise...
External links
- "Abortion Adds to Colombia's Election Turmoil", Women's E-News, May 2006
- Inter-Press Services article on the Gonzalez case
- Documentary on the Gonzalez case from The CurrentThe Current (radio program)The Current is a Canadian current affairs radio program, hosted by investigative reporter Anna Maria Tremonti on CBC Radio One. It airs weekdays starting at 8:37 a.m. local time and runs until 10 a.m. for most of the year, although during the summer the program airs until 9:30 a.m...
(requires Real Audio).