The Health Ministry of Poland, in a fresh set of instructions, told doctors on Sunday that it is legal to terminate a pregnancy when the woman’s health or life is in danger. This diktat comes in the wake of apparent confusion over a new restriction to the country’s abortion law.

The document, released by the ministry, which was directed to the obstetricians, comes in reaction to the death of a 30-year-old mother whose 22-week pregnancy had medical problems.

Even though the women’s death happened in September, her death became widely known this month.

“Doctors at the hospital in Pszczyna, in southern Poland, held off terminating her pregnancy despite the fact that her fetus lacked enough amniotic fluid to survive, her family and a lawyer say,” Associated Press reported.

Due to this, the doctors have been suspended. A probe into the matter has been initiated.

Irate people held nationwide demonstrations in the weekend and blamed the woman’s death on Poland’s restrictive abortion law. Women’s rights activists said that the incident has a chilling effect on doctors in this predominantly Roman Catholic nation.

In its directive, the ministry reiterated that the new diktat is in line with the law to terminate a pregnancy when the woman’s health is in danger. It becomes even more so important if the pregnancy is a threat to her life. It included guidance in case of premature loss of the amniotic fluid.

“It should be clearly stressed that doctors must not be afraid to take evident decisions. stemming from their experience and the available medical knowledge,” the ministry said.

Until a year ago, women in Poland could have abortions in three cases: if the pregnancy resulted from a crime like rape if the woman’s health or life was at risk, or in the case of irreparable defects of the fetus.

That last possibility was eliminated a year ago when the Constitutional Tribunal ruled it went against Poland’s law.

(With inputs from Associated Press)