Valentina Magnanti (2010) – Italy

Broadly, April 18, 2016, Matteo Congregalli
Abortion Is Legal in Italy, But It’s Almost Impossible to Get One

Valentina Magnanti was admitted to a hospital in the Lazio region of Italy for an abortion in the 5th month of pregnancy because her fetus was non-viable. But she was left alone in pain for 16 hours and forced to deliver in a bathroom without any medical aid because the doctor on duty was a conscientious objector. Valentina’s problems with refusal to treat began before she even got pregnant. She said: “I have a rare and terrible transmissible genetic disease, but in theory I can have children, so for me there was no access to assisted fertilization, pre-implantation diagnosis. This unjust law only allows me to get pregnant and find out later if the child I’m expecting is sick, doomed. Leaving me free to choose to have an abortion in the fifth month, almost a birth”.

She and her husband decided to terminate, but her gynecologist refused to hospitalize her, and it took several attempts to find a willing doctor who could admit her. Then she had to wait two days until the doctor was on duty, as all other doctors at that hospital were objectors. The doctor started the abortion and treated her well, but then left when her shift was over. The doctor who was supposed to continue the care never came to see her on the basis of conscientious objection. Valentina was left in excruciating pain for 16 hours and no doctor or nurses would help, even with repeated requests from her husband. Also, when Valentina was in the early stages of her abortion, a small group of people entered her hospital room holding copies of the Bible. They accused her of being a sinner and a murderer.

Read the article (in English): broadly.vice.com

Article in Italian: «Costretta ad abortire in bagno perché era cambiato il turno»: www.corriere.it