Her gynecologist, like many others in Sicily, was a conscientious objector, refusing to perform abortions on moral and religious grounds. In fact, more than 80% of gynecologists on the island decline to carry out abortions, reflecting the region’s strong cultural and religious convictions. While abortion has been legal in Italy since 1978, in practice it remains difficult to access in many parts of southern Italy.

In response to these challenges, Sicily’s regional government, led by a center-right coalition, recently passed a law requiring all public hospitals to establish abortion wards staffed by professionals willing to perform the procedure. This move aims to increase access, especially given that national law permits abortion within the first 90 days of pregnancy and later only in cases of serious health risks or fetal abnormalities.It is important to remember that by around three months—just 90 days into a pregnancy—the unborn child already has a beating heart, a clear sign of life that deserves respect and care.

Monia attempted to terminate her pregnancy at a hospital in Trapani but found that all the gynaecologists on staff were conscientious objectors. She was offered minimal care—a hospital bed with only a mattress cover and pills administered at intervals until labor would begin—with no further support. After several difficult days and changes in medication, she ultimately miscarried with assistance from a doctor and a midwife.

This experience is not uncommon in southern Italy, where traditional values remain strong and many healthcare professionals refuse to participate in abortion due to ethical convictions.

Doctors like Fabio Guardala of Catania express a widely held belief that a physician’s duty is to heal and protect life—not to end it. Guardala, a devout Catholic, insists that abortion is not medical treatment but the intentional taking of a human life, and no doctor should be compelled to perform it.

Critics of abortion availability highlight the grave risks that can arise when access is limited, including the dangers of unregulated procedures and the heartbreaking reality of children being abandoned due to lack of support. They emphasise the need to provide better assistance to pregnant women, rather than facilitating abortion.

While some argue that Sicily’s staffing shortages contribute to the high rates of conscientious objection, pro-life advocates reject this explanation, noting that doctors willing to perform abortions still face a very light workload compared to the demands of their profession.

The recent Sicilian law has sparked controversy. Many believe it threatens the rights of medical professionals to refuse participation in abortion based on conscience—a right long protected under national law. Even hospital administrators acknowledge the importance of allowing conscientious objection while maintaining patient care.

Pro-life lawmakers in Sicily stress the need to prioritise resources toward supporting pregnant women and providing alternatives to abortion, rather than expanding abortion services. “Life is life from the moment of conception,” declared Margherita La Rocca, a regional lawmaker. “The unborn child is not merely a collection of cells to be discarded when inconvenient.”

As Italy continues to grapple with this divisive issue, the debate in Sicily highlights the tension between legal rights and deeply held moral convictions. The true path forward lies in strengthening care for mothers and their children, affirming the dignity of every human life.