The Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) today called on the medical profession to justify performing pelvic surgery on women during childbirth without informing them of the consequences.
The council helped set up an organisation for woman who underwent symphysiotomy (cutting through the pelvis during childbirth) - Survivors of Symphysiotomy (SOS).
The operation was performed by Catholic doctors on women, who would otherwise require repeated Casarean sections, so they could continue have children and would not require contraception or sterilisation. The practice was prevalent in the in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
Speaking today NWCI Director, Ms Joanna McMinn, said the women were not given a choice, nor was the reason for the operation fully explained to them, despite the availability of Casarean sections at the time.
The foundation of SOS is the first recognition of the experiences of women who had symphysiotomenies. Many of them suffered permanent health problems such as incontinence and difficulties in walking.
There were also psychological affects on both mothers and children arising from the operation, said Ms Bernadette Black of SOS.
"Women who had symphysiotomenies have also suffered at the hands of the medical profession, with no regard for how they would suffer for the rest of their lives. There was no follow-up study done on the health of these women," she said.
