Seventy Per Cent of Italian Gynecologists Won't Do Abortions

Conscientious objection on the rise:

The number of conscientious objectors among Italy's gynecologists rose from 58.7% in 2005 to 70.7% in 2009 and remained nearly stable at 69.3% in 2010, according to a parliamentary report Health Minister Renato Balduzzi submitted on Tuesday. Conscientious objectors among Italy's anesthesiologists rose from 45.7% in 2005 to 50.8% in 2010. Non-medical personnel refusing to facilitate abortions rose from 38.6% to 44.7% in the same period. The trend is particularly acute in southern Italy, where in some regions the percentage of gynecologists who will not perform abortions is over 80%. For anesthesiologists, the highest percentage of abstainers are in Sicily, at 78.1%