Italian prosecutors have opened a probe into the death of a 32-year-old woman after she miscarried twins and died from an infection allegedly after a hospital doctor refused her an abortion.
The family of Valentina Milluzzo said the doctor treating her refused to terminate the pregancy because he was a Catholic "conscientious objector" to abortion, claims that have been categorically denied by the hospital.
Milluzzo was admitted to Cannizzaro hospital in the Sicilian city of Catania on 29 September after suffering complications and going into premature labour in her 19th week of pregnancy. She had had fertility treatment at another health centre.
Last Friday her blood pressure and temperature dropped and her condition worsened and she miscarried the twins on Saturday.
According to the family's lawyer, one of the foetuses was suffering breathing problems but the doctor had refused to abort the foetuses in order to save the mother, saying: "As long as it's alive, I will not intervene."
No action was taken while the ailing foetus was still alive and overnight the mother's condition worsened and she contracted an infection.
She died on Sunday in intensive care and her burial has been postponed while further investigations are carried out.
Twelve doctors at the hospital have been placed under investigation.
In Sicily nearly 90 percent of gynaecologists refused to perform abortions on ethical grounds compared with 70 percent nationwide according to government figures issued in 2013.
Abortion has been legal in the predominantly Catholic country since 1978, provided it is during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
After 12 weeks it is allowed only if the life of the mother is at risk or there is a problem with a foetus.
