Brasilia, Brazil, Mar 4, 2009 / 09:59 am
Judge Sivanildo Torres Ferreira of Paraiba, Brazil ordered that prenatal care be guaranteed for a woman and her unborn child, citing a law intended to prevent women who are pregnant from being abandoned.
According to media reports, the judge made his ruling after reviewing correspondence between the mother and the alleged father. He said there was sufficient evidence to conclude that the man in question was indeed the father. If tests were to prove he is not the biological father of the child, the man would be entitled to compensation.
The judge explained that the law guarantees the right to nourishment during pregnancy, without the need to prove the fetus is viable or that a conjugal bond exists. The primary goal is to prevent pregnant women from being abandoned and left without any assistance during pregnancy.