RTE News European Blog
It may come as a surprise, but a relatively liberal abortion regime has existed in Italy since 1978. . . . The law provides for abortion up to 12 weeks into the pregnancy, and up to 23 weeks if there are foetal abnormalities. . . But Law 194 is back in the news in Italy, and the reason may resonate with the debate in Ireland.
The law permits medical personnel to refuse to carry out abortions on conscientious grounds.
The numbers who are now doing so have risen so dramatically that groups in favour of the availability of abortion say the phenomenon is forcing Italian women to seek terminations abroad, or even to submit to illegal abortions in Italy. . . .[read on]