A pregnant American woman who suffered an incomplete partial miscarriage while vacationing in Malta is getting airlifted to a Spanish island because Maltese law prohibits abortion under any circumstances.

ROME -- A pregnant American woman who suffered an incomplete miscarriage while vacationing in Malta will be airlifted to a Spanish island on Thursday for a procedure to prevent infection because Maltese law prohibits abortion under any circumstances, the woman's partner said.

Jay Weeldreyer told The Associated Press by phone from a hospital in the island nation that his partner, Andrea Prudente, is at risk of a life-threatening infection if the fetal tissue isn’t promptly removed.

His partner is receiving antibiotics and being closely monitored for signs of infection, he said.

The Women's Rights Foundation in Malta filed a legal protest in court last week that demanded the legalization of abortion in the tiny island nation.

Lawyer Lara Dimitrijevic, an activist with the foundation, said abortion rights supporters in Malta have closely monitored the situation in the United States.

If delivery is deemed necessary, "then this is done, even if the fetus is too young to survive outside the womb,'' the organization said, defending Malta's abortion policy