Abortions in Italy decrease, objectors increase

  Abortions continue to decrease in Italy and in 2018 76,328 IVGs were notified, confirming the continuous trend of reduction of the phenomenon (-5.5% compared to 2017) since 1983. This is the fifth year in which a total of IVG less than 100 thousand cases; the number of IVGs has more than halved compared to the 234,801 cases of 1983, the year in which the highest value was found in Italy. The latest report on Law 194 of the Ministry of Health delivered in Parliament and signed by the Minister of Health Roberto Speranza reports this. Slight increase in objectors: 69% of gynecologists, 46.3% of anesthesiologists and 42.2% of non-medical personnel, values ​​slightly higher than those reported for 2017 and which show wide regional variations for all three the categories. A third of the total IVG in Italy continues to be borne by foreign women. The increase in the use of emergency contraception, Levonorgestrel (Norlevo) - morning after pill and Ulipistral acetate (ellaOne) - 5 day later pill, positively affected the reduction in IVG. For these drugs, for which the prescription obligation for adults has been abolished, "correct information is essential for women to avoid inappropriate use", the report reads.
In general, waiting times are decreasing, although there is still a considerable variation between the Regions, and there is an increase in interruptions in the first 8 weeks of gestation, probably at least in part due to the increase in the use of the pharmacological technique (Mifepristone + prostaglandins), which is used in the early gestational era.
The analysis of data on conscientious objection highlights high values ​​for all professional healthcare categories, in particular among gynecologists (69%). Although the analysis of the workloads for each non-objector gynecologist does not seem to highlight particular critical issues in IVG services, at regional or individual structure level, the Regions must ensure that the organization of services and professional figures guarantee women the possibility to access voluntary termination of pregnancy, as indicated in Article 9 of the Law, guaranteeing the free exercise of women's sexual and reproductive rights and ensuring access to IVG services, minimizing the impact of conscientious objection in the exercise of this right.
"It is essential to strengthen and strengthen family counseling services, proximity services which, thanks to the experience in the socio-health context and the multidisciplinary skills of the professional team, are able to identify the determinants of a social nature and to support the woman and / or the couple in the conscious choice, in the eventual reconsideration of the reasons behind her choice, to help her in the IVG path and to avoid future unwanted pregnancies and the recourse to IVG "reads the report.