[Jake.]

'A verdict of medical misadventure has been recorded after the death of a woman denied an abortion at Galway University Hospital.

Savita Halappanavar, who was from India, was 17 weeks pregnant when admitted to Galway University Hospital in October 2012.

She was suffering from agonising pain and, according to her husband, made several requests for an abortion.

Mr Halappanavar said Savita had been at the heart of the Indian community
Mr Halappanavar, 34, said doctors had refused to terminate the pregnancy because there was a foetal heartbeat and told his wife: "This is a Catholic country."

The medical misadventure ruling found that there were systemic failures or deficiencies in the care given to Mrs Halappanavar before she died.

Speaking before the inquest, Savita's husband Praveen had said the question of why his wife died is still on his mind and that he hoped the coroner would give him the answers he was looking for.

"The coroner has been kind enough to cross certain borders I suppose. More than what we expected for sure," he said.

Mr Halappanavar said the last two weeks have been very tough and he has been in touch with his parents-in-laws in India every morning and night.

"Today was actually our wedding anniversary so it's even more, very hard," he said. "Hopefully, there's some bright days ahead and something good comes out of it."

He revealed that his wife had been at the heart of the Indian community in Galway, socialising with friends and organising events.

Since appearing in the Diwali Festival in the city in 2010, where she won the best dance prize, she had started to teach dance to local Indian youngsters.

The festival of light was cancelled last year when she died, her husband said. She also entranced Indian and Irish alike with her dancing at a St Patrick's Day Parade in the city.

Mrs Halappanavar, who had been practising as a dentist in the Republic of Ireland for some time, died on October 28 after developing septicaemia - an infection in the blood.'