If the mother's life is in danger, the doctor has two patients, the mother and the baby. If he resolves to save both, but fails to save the child, then that is not abortion, but rather a medical failure with respect to the baby, no different than when several people are treated at the same time in an emergency. Being charitable to Mr. Dobbin, perhaps this is what he meant, and he expressed himself awkwardly.
"Pro-life with exceptions" means the fallacious view that if the mother suffers from a life threatening disease which could be more effectively cured if she were not pregnant, and so abortion is chosen, then that is justified. Sadly, this is most likely what he meant, and then his views ar ento compatible with Catholicism.
I saw this movie years ago called “The Cardinal” with Thomas Tryon about the rise of a parish priest to the position of cardinal. It was a wonderful movie. In the movie, he has a sister who is very promiscuous and becomes pregnant. When it is time for her to give birth, something goes wrong and there is a situation that in order to save her life, they will have to kill the baby. I don’t remember all the details of the medical situation, but his sister is unconscious and cannot make the decision so it is left up to him (their parents are dead).
He tells the doctors not to kill the baby even though it will mean the certain death of his sister. He tells the doctors, “If my sister dies, it is an act of God. If the baby dies, it is because of my actions.” His sister does, indeed, die and the baby lives. But the decision does not come without a price. He lives with a great deal of guilt. But later in the movie, they show the little baby grown up, a girl, and she’s beautiful and alive, and he knows that he made the right call. I know it’s only a movie, but I’ve never forgotten that scenario and have always felt that it is best to leave these choices up to God. Some may disagree.