The Oireachtas health committee has heard that up to 15% of all pregnant women in Ireland present with mental health problems, but there are only three psychiatrists specialising in the area.
The committee was hearing from the masters of two of Ireland's large maternity hospitals on the first of three days of hearings on the abortion issue.
Master of the Rotunda Hospital Dr Sam Coulter-Smyth said problems with mental health was one of the most common issues in pregnancy.
He said that on the basis of UK figures, only one woman in 500,000 would actually take their own lives.
In relation to his own hospital, Dr Coulter-Smith said there were five to six cases a year where the pregnancy had to be interrupted to save the mother's life.
He told TDs and Senators that any legislation in the area needed to be concise, but flexible enough to allow for medical advances.
Master of the National Maternity Hospital Dr Rhona Mahony said she was offended by suggestions that women might fabricate thoughts of suicide to justify asking for a termination.
She said there was an urgent need to clarify the legal situation to protect both patients and the medical profession.
Dr Mahony said she needed to know that she would not go to jail or her patient would not go to jail in the case of a complex medical decision that had to be taken.
The hearing will continue this afternoon with further representations from medical groups.
The Government said this week's proceedings will help to shape legislation and regulations on the issue, which it hopes to bring forward shortly.
Hearings are set to run from 9.30am until 7pm as a range of groups give their views.
The committee has moved to the Seanad chamber for the sessions.
The legal profession will appear before the committee tomorrow and on Thursday the main lobby groups on either side of the argument, as well as the main churches, will have their say.
The Catholic hierarchy ruffled some political feathers with the robustness of its arguments so far, and the note the bishops strike in their submission is keenly anticipated.
Women entitled to legal clarity - Gilmore
Meanwhile, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has said he disagrees with Pope Benedict's statement expressing dismay that efforts are being made to introduce legislation on abortion in some countries.
The Tánaiste said women in Ireland are entitled to more than understanding and mercy, as the Pope put it, and they are entitled to have legal clarity where their life is at risk.
He said the Government has already made the decision to legislate and introduce regulations to deal with that.
However, sitting alongside Mr Gilmore, Minister of State Lucinda Creighton said she was not clear the Pope was suggesting for any second women are not entitled to legal clarity.
She said the position of the Government is clear and she hoped legal certainty will be enshrined in legislation in the near future.
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