Hungarian Reformed Church seeks dialogue on heartbeat decree

József Steinbach, the president of the Reformed Church in Hungary, has requested a personal meeting with Health Minister Zsolt Hegedűs to discuss the ‘heartbeat decree’. This regulation, in place since September 2022, requires gynecologists to show women signs of fetal life, such as a heartbeat or pulsation via ultrasound, before an abortion procedure.

Minister Hegedűs has reportedly responded positively to the request for dialogue. The minister previously noted that the 2022 decree was based on political rather than professional grounds, citing a lack of sufficient evidence-based analysis or impact studies from professional colleges at the time of its implementation.

Dr. Bálint Balázs, an obstetrician-gynecologist and president of the Hungarian Pre- and Perinatal Psychological and Medical Society, noted that while Christian churches hold the view that life begins at conception, the goal of the dialogue should be finding solutions for women in crisis. He also acknowledged concerns regarding whether the mandatory ultrasound examination could be perceived as humiliating or anxiety-inducing for some patients.