The Illusory Right to Abortion in Italy

New York Times (Jan. 17, 2016): On Paper, Italy Allows Abortions, but Few Doctors Will Perform Them, by Gaia Pianigiani: 

Thirty years ago, the long fight for abortion rights resulted in a law permits abortion with ninety days of pregnancy and later for women in mental or physical danger or in cases of serious fetal pathologies.  But nearly three-quarters of the country's gynecologists--more in some regions--are conscientious objectors to the law, reflecting the influence of the Roman Catholic Church in the delivery of medical care.  Many non-objecting physicians, who tend to be part of the older generation of practitioners, are approaching retirement age.  Non-invasive abortions are completely unavailable in some regions, despite a national directive that has been in place since 2009.  The European Committee of Social Rights has deemed the lack of access to abortion in certain regions detrimental to the health of women.