GETTY Thousands took to the streets at the weekend to protest the abortion ban

FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

The walk-out, which is planned for tomorrow, will see half the Polish population dressed in black as they take to the streets to protest the new law. The proposed bill would mean women in the deeply Catholic country could face up to five years in jail if they carry out a termination, while any medical staff involved could also be prosecuted. Women in 60 Polish cities have already mobilised, dubbing the strike "the black protest", with nearly six million expected to take part. Women in several other European countries have pledged to strike in support of their Polish counterparts.

We will not allow our hospitals to be turned into torture chambers and our doctors into prison guards Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bak

Fears have been growing that the new legislation could mean doctors become too scared to carry out routine checks on pregnant women in case they are accused of giving them an abortion. Critics also say women who suffer miscarriages might avoid seeking medical help and protestors claim victims of rape might kill their children after birth. The country already imposes strict restrictions on abortions, with women only permitted to terminate their pregnancy early on if they have been raped or suffered a crime, when the baby is likely to be born severely disabled or when childbirth would threaten the mother's life.

GETTY More than six million women have vowed to walk out tomorrow

GETTY Protestors hope they will bring the country to a standstill

More than 5,000 Poles staged a demonstration outside the country's parliament in Warsaw at the weekend but protestors are hoping tomorrow's action will bring the country to a standstill. Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bak, who is a member of Poland's left-wing Together party, said: "We will not allow our hospitals to be turned into torture chambers and our doctors into prison guards." Despite the backlash against the bill, it was first proposed in response to a petition signed by 450,000 Poles calling for an end to all abortions.

GETTY The bill has divided the deeply Catholic country

GETTY If the law is passed women could face five years in prison for an abortion