title: Proposal to inform European institutions regarding the regulation of conscientious objection to abortion.
abstract: The aim of this paper is to define a set of proposals to inform European institutions in the regulation of Conscientious Objection to abortion. The board of the European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care (ESC) was informed on the elements that should in the opinion of the authors be included in a future regulation of Conscientious Objection to abortion in Europe. These elements are outlined in this paper and the debate about them could form the basis for recommendations to the international scientific community and the European institutions. As current measures governing the principle of conscientious objection result in negative consequences regarding women's access to sexual and reproductive health services, they should be changed. Healthcare services should adopt measures to guarantee that a woman's right to voluntary abortion is not limited by the practitioner's stance on the principle of conscientious objection. In the countries where conscientious objection is allowed, the regulation must clearly delineate the extent of the duties and the exemptions of professionals based on the principles of established social consensus. The recommendations included in this document specify measures on the rights of women, the rights and duties of the practitioner, the role of institutions and the role of professional associations.
authors.affiliation: a Clínica Euskalduna , Bilbao , Spain ;
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lertxundi
authors.affiliation: b AP-OSI Research Unit , Alto Deba Hospital , Mondragón, Gipuzkoa , Spain ;
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ibarrondo
authors.affiliation: c Division for Family Planning , University Hospital Zürich , Zürich , Switzerland ;
authors.forename: Gabriele S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Merki-Feld
authors.affiliation: d Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics , Burgos University Hospital , Burgos , Spain ;
authors.forename: Modesto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rey-Novoa
authors.affiliation: e Faculty of Health and Social Sciences , Bournemouth University , Bournemouth , UK ;
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rowlands
authors.affiliation: f Health Services Research on Chronic Patients Network (REDISSEC) , Bilbao , Spain ;|g Clinical Management Unit , Alto Deba Hospital , Mondragón, Gipuzkoa , Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mar
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000523:psychology*; D000029:Abortion, Legal / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003242:Conscience; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D016079:Refusal to Treat / Q000941:ethics; D012958:Societies, Scientific; D014933:Women's Rights
keywords: Abortion; conscientious objection; health care services; human rights; professional associations