Termination of Pregnancy and Abortion in Italy

Information on who to contact and how to proceed in the event of an unwanted pregnancy. Also information on family planning clinics.

Italy legalised abortion in 1978. Any woman in Italy has 90 days (12 weeks) from the date of conception to request a termination of pregnancy.

Under the law, the termination must be due to health, economic, social or family reasons. A pregnant woman must get proof as to the state of the pregnancy from her local doctor (general practitioner) or from a maternal health care clinic, which will then make the appointments with the hospital.

An abortion may only be carried out in a public hospital. It is free to women who have an Italian health card; foreign women have to pay for the procedure. There are no special abortion clinics in Italy.

After 90 days a termination is only permitted if there is a threat to the life or health of the pregnant woman. For an abortion to be carried out for medical reasons, the mother's health or life must be endangered if she carries the child to term, or there must be a problem with the foetus. In these cases, the termination can be carried out up to 20 weeks after conception.

The word aborto can mean either a miscarriage or an abortion, but the phrase interruzione volontaria di gravidanza literally translates to "voluntary interruption of a pregnancy".

Permissions

The father does not need to give his authorisation for the termination.

If the pregnant person is a minor, under 18 years of age, she must have the consent of either parents or guardians, or the decision can be deferred to a judge.

Though abortion is legal in Italy, on the grounds of the conscience clause not all physicians in Italy are willing to perform the procedure.

The Process

Once the decision is made to terminate a pregnancy, the physician must issue a certificate of consent, sign it and ensure the pregnant women signs. Except in urgent cases, there is a seven-day period of reflection before the abortion can be carried out.

Related Information

From the Bollettino Epidemiologico Nazionale (National Epidemiologic Bulletin) BEN: Click here
From the United Nations, the legal status of abortions in Italy: Click here
From a pregnancy information website in Italy IVG, Gravidanza On Line (in Italian)
BBC News Europe