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Page last updated at 12:16 GMT, Friday, 25 April 2008 13:16 UK

Jehovah transfusion deemed lawful

The court ruled that the blood transfusion was lawful A hospital acted lawfully in sedating and giving blood to a woman who refused the treatment after a haemorrhage, the Republic’s High Court has ruled. The woman, a Jehovah’s Witness, did not want the transfusion for religious reasons after giving birth at Dublin’s Women’s Hospital last September. The High Court granted the hospital an order to go ahead with the treatment. On Friday, the High Court dismissed the woman’s claim her rights were breached and the transfusion was an assault. The court upheld its earlier decision. The treatment took place on 21 September 2006, after the 24-year-old woman known as Miss K suffered a massive haemorrhage after having a baby boy. The case began in October last year and finished in January. On Thursday, the courts ruled that anaemic twins to be born this week should get a blood transfusion, despite the wishes of their parents, who are also Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Jehovah’s Witnesses subsequently appealed to hospitals to meet their representatives with a view to establishing a protocol where a blood transfusion has been recommended to a member of their community. Last Updated: Monday, 5 November 2007, 17:21 GMT Mother dies after refusing blood The 22-year-old’s funeral took place at Telford Crematorium A young Jehovah’s Witness has died after giving birth to twins, amid claims that she had refused a blood transfusion because of her faith.Emma Gough, 22, of Telford, Shropshire, gave birth on 25 October. The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital said an internal review into the case would take place. The twins, a boy and a girl, are healthy and are being cared for by their father, Anthony Gough, 24. A friend said the family was going through “immense… turmoil and grief”. “We follow the Bible and abstain from blood and I’ve got no reason to believe that Emma didn’t share those views,” the friend Terry Lovejoy added. Because events such as this are so rare, it is normal practice to undertake a full internal review Tom Taylor, CEO of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust The right to die for Jehovah Christine Harris, a friend of Ms Gough’s mother-in-law Sham Gough, said: “The family have told me that a blood transfusion wouldn’t have saved Emma.” Tom Taylor, chief executive of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said: “We have offered our deepest condolences to the family, and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time. “Because events such as this are so rare, it is normal practice to undertake a full internal review and also to inform the coroner so an inquest can take place.” An inquest has been opened and adjourned for a date to be fixed. Emma Gough’s funeral took place at the Telford crematorium at 1530 GMT. Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse blood transfusions because they believe that God has forbidden it in the Bible. They believe that accepting a blood transfusion is a sin. Head of Science and Ethics at the British Medical Association, Dr Vivienne Nathanson, said: “If somebody believes that having blood will excommunicate them from their religious beliefs, then they will often say no and accept the risk of death.”