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US woman on vacation in Malta denied lifesaving abortion

PHOTO: Andrea Prudente, who suffered an incomplete miscarriage while vacationing in Malta, poses for a photo with her partner Jay Weeldreyer, left, in Gozo, Malta, June 12, 2022.

Americans Andrea Prudente and her partner Jay Weeldreyer were on their babymoon – 16 weeks pregnant with a little girl. To celebrate, the couple decided to spend two weeks together in Malta.

About a week in, Prudente was rushed to the hospital where she was told the placenta separated from her uterus and she was starting to miscarry. It meant the pregnancy was no longer viable, and unless the pregnancy was aborted – Prudente’s life would be in severe danger. But abortion is illegal in Malta – even under extreme circumstances like hers.

ABC News spoke with Weeldreyer as he sat at his partner’s bedside in a hospital in Malta.

“There weren’t any options. Malta won’t do anything. The laws are so restrictive,” Weeldreyer said.

Andrea Prudente, who suffered an incomplete miscarriage while vacationing in Malta, poses for a photo with her partner Jay Weeldreyer, left, in Gozo, Malta, June 12, 2022. Prudente will be airlifted to a Spanish island for a procedure to prevent infection because Maltese law prohibits abortion under any circumstances, the woman’s partner said.

Jay Weeldreyer via AP

The couple is unable to fly back to America because the long flight would be too dangerous in Prudente’s condition and the risk of her having a miscarriage on a flight is potentially fatal.

“We’re literally trapped… and in the meantime, every day that goes by, every minute that goes by is she’s subject to increasing risk of infection,” he said.

Lara Dimitrijevic, Prudente’s lawyer and founder of the Women’s Rights Foundation founder in Malta, confirmed that hope does not exist in Malta for the couple.

“The mentality was never challenged in Malta. This is a small island completely cut off from the rest of the world. If a doctor would actually practice illegally an abortion, he would simply be sentenced to jail time,” Dimitrijevic said to ABC News.

Malta is the only country in Europe to ban abortion for any reason, even in case of rape.

“I started this foundation in 2013 as I was hoping to help women. I am pro-life but I am pro-choice,” said Lara Dimitrijevic. “How can we justify in 2022, that a woman can be exposed to this type of danger… Maltese is completely controlling women’s body,” Dimitrijevic added.

Dimitrijevic tried to contact Malta Prime Minister Robert Abela and his deputy minister asking for help for Prudente. They never reacted, she said.

Weeldreyer was visibly distraught as he told ABC News about his partner.

“This baby can’t live. And the fact that Andrea’s being forced…

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