title: Voluntary termination of pregnancy (medical or surgical abortion): forensic medicine issues.
abstract: In Italy, Law 194 of 22 May 1978 provides for and regulates the voluntary termination of pregnancy (VTP). Medical abortion became popular nationwide after Mifepristone (RU-486) was authorized for the market by AIFA (Italian Drug Agency) in July 2009. We searched articles in medical literature database with these terms: "medical abortion", "RU486", "surgical abortion". We also searched laws and judgments concerning abortion in national legal databases. Ministerial guidelines were searched on official website of Italian Ministry of Health. We found many medical studies about medical and surgical abortion. We found also ministerial and regional guidelines, which were analyzed. From the point of view of legal medicine, the issues related to abortion with the pharmacological method consist in verifying compatibility and consistency with the safety principles and the parameters imposed by Law n. 194 of 1978, using off-label Misoprostol, what inpatient care should be used and informed consent. The doctor's job is to provide the patient with comprehensive and clear information about how the procedure will be performed, any complications and the time period needed for both procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Radiology and Public Health, Public Health and Humanities Section, University of Brescia Italy - Forensic Medicine Institute, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piras
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Radiology and Public Health, Public Health and Humanities Section, University of Brescia - Centre of Bioethics Research, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Delbon
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Radiology and Public Health, Public Health and Humanities Section, University of Brescia Italy - Forensic Medicine Institute, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bin
authors.affiliation: Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Casella
authors.affiliation: Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Capasso
authors.affiliation: Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II". Via S. Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niola
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Radiology and Public Health, Public Health and Humanities Section, University of Brescia - Centre of Bioethics Research, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Adelaide
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Conti
keywords: Forensic medicine; Informed consent; Medical abortion; Surgical abortion