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Abortion in Italy is legal, but finding one is hard
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In this file photo taken on May 21, 2022 a woman holds a sign reading (AFP /Alberto PIZZOLI)
F
or 40 years, gynecologist Michele Mariano has been the only person performing abortions in Italy's conservative Molise region.
He has delayed retiring twice because no one will replace him, many refusing to terminate pregnancies as conscientious objectors.
It's an extreme example, but emblematic of a wider issue in Italy, where abortion up to 90 days after conception has been legal since 1978 -- but many healthcare providers don't offer them.
A majority of gynecologists refuse on conscientious objection grounds, driven either by religion or societal pressure, while recent moves by right-wing politicians with links to the Church have only increased obstacles for women.
As a result, dozens of hospitals and clinics across the country provide no abortion services at all.
Finding doctors to perform them can be a minefield, since there are no official lists disclosing those who do, while services vary wildly across the country.
"Someone goes to the hospital not knowing whether the doctor in front of them will do it," said Eleonora Mizzoni, 32, an abortion activist in Pisa.
