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During 32-year-old Valentina Milluzo’s 19th week of being pregnant with twins, she began to experience complications in her pregnancy and went into premature labor. At the hospital, Milluzo’s doctors were able to stabilize her condition, but kept her as a patient to continue monitoring her status.
Two weeks later, Milluzo’s temperature and blood pressure suddenly plummeted.
One of the fetuses, in response to Milluzo’s body change, began to have breathing problems and was struggling to live. Even though this put pressure on Milluzo’s life, her family claims that the doctor refused to perform an abortion.
“As long as [the fetus is] alive, I will not intervene,” were the words the family claimed the doctor had said to them.
Milluzo struggled in this state for the rest of the night. By morning, she’d contracted an infection and she died later that day.
The family is now trying to press charges against the hospital for malpractice.
The hospital, however, denies that it has done anything wrong. “There was no conscientious objection on behalf of the doctor that intervened in this case because there was no voluntary termination of the pregnancy, but (the miscarriage) was forced by the grave circumstances,” said Angelo Pellicano, head of the hospital where MIlluzo was being treated.
Pellicano is also adamantly denying what the Milluzo family claims the doctor told them about the abortion, although 70% of doctors in Italy – where Milluzo and her family live – refuse to perform abortions because of their faith.
The Milluzo family has yet to make plans for Valentina’s funeral; investigations are still ongoing and tests are being conducted on her body for postmortem.
Our hearts go out to the Milluzo family for their loss, and we hope the outcome of the case at least allows women in her position to receive the care they need in the future.
