Her Pregnant Teen Had Cancer. Docs Delayed Treatment

The mother of a teen who died after doctors in the Dominican Republic delayed treating her for cancer because she was pregnant is challenging the country's strict abortion ban. Civil society groups including a Christian organization joined the challenge, arguing that the ban violates the rights to life, health, dignity, and equality, and that such protections should be extended to pregnant girls and women. The challenge was filed Wednesday in the country's Constitutional Court, per the AP. The Dominican Republic has one of the strictest abortion bans in the region, criminalizing it without exception. Women face up to two years in prison for having an abortion, while doctors or midwives could face five to 20 years.

"My daughter died because she was denied the medical care she needed. No other mother should have to go through this," Rosa Herminia Hernandez said in a statement. Rosaura Almonte died in 2012 from leukemia while three weeks pregnant. She was 16 years old, per the court filing. The challenge seeks that abortions be allowed in rape or incest cases; when the life or health of a woman or girl is in danger; or when a fetus has fatal abnormalities. "This action seeks something very simple: that no woman or girl should have to choose between her life, her health, and the law," attorney Patricia Santana Nina said.

At least 67,455 abortions were recorded from 2019 through late 2024 in the public health sector, according to government data. It didn't differentiate between spontaneous and induced abortions. Meanwhile, from June 2017 to October 2022, prosecutors filed 62 criminal cases for abortion and 16 cases for attempted abortion. The Prosecutor General's Office has stopped publishing such data since November 2022. Human rights activists say that it's often health providers who report women to authorities. There are no reliable statistics on how many women in the Dominican Republic have died during or after a clandestine abortion.

In 2024, at least 585 girls from 11 to 14 years old became mothers, per government data. Meanwhile, at least 681 rapes were reported from January to July 2025, with activists noting that unreported cases are much higher. The challenge noted that the ban worsens existing inequalities: Women with resources can seek private medical care in or outside the country, while those who are impoverished face higher health risks and are more exposed to criminal prosecution.