Poland implements its near-total abortion ban

Poland's government put into effect on Wednesday a constitutional court decision banning terminations of pregnancies with fetal defects, as conservative policies increasingly take root in one of Europe's most devout Catholic countries.

Soraya Ali reports.

Poland's government has now officially put into effect its almost-total ban on abortion.

Poland was rocked by mass protests last October when a constitutional court decided in favor of the ban, forcing the conservative government to delay its implementation until now.

Protesters gathered again after the news was announced late on Wednesday (January 27) and abortion activists say more will follow: "I want us to have our basic rights, the right to decide about our bodies, the right to decide what we want to do and if we want to bear children and in what circumstances to have children.

I do not want to get pregnant one day and see my child die after birth.

That thought horrifies me." The new law only allows abortions in cases of rape and incest, and when the mother's life or health is endangered.

It means that terminations of pregnancies with fetal defects are illegal and doctors performing such procedures in Poland face prison.

Abortion has emerged as one of the most divisive issues since the conservative Law and Justice Party took power in 2015 in one of Europe's most devoutly Catholic countries.

Access to abortions has declined even without the legislative curbs as more doctors refuse to perform them on religious grounds, and many women seek abortions abroad.

One Law and Justice politician said the party would consider introducing new rules that could allow the most extreme fetal deformities to be excluded.

But political commentators say an agreement between the party and its arch-conservative governing allies would be difficult to achieve.