The Italian health ministry
on Friday sent a team to the Sicilian hospital where a
32-year-old woman died after a miscarriage of her two unborn
twins at the 19th week of pregnancy on October 16, allegedly
after a conscientious-objector doctor refused to operate.
The team includes two members named by the ministry, a
Carabiniere from the NAS health unit, and two experts from the
Sicilian regional government.
Catania prosecutors on Thursday placed 12 doctors from the
city hospital's obstetrical and gynaecological department under
investigation in the case.
They are suspected of multiple manslaughter in the death
of Valentina Milluzzo and the twin babies she was carrying.
Sources said the move was a formality following a complaint
from the woman's family.
The suspects are all the department's staff excluding head
surgeon Paolo Scollo and his assistant Emilio Lomeo, who were
absent.
Catania prosecutors said earlier they had ascertained that
the doctor who allegedly refused to intervene was not registered
as a conscientious objector in the medical files.
Health Minister Beatrice Lorenzin said Friday that
"conscientious objection concerns abortions and is not involved
in cases such as this".
Milluzzo died on October 16 at Catania's Cannizzaro
hospital, where she had been for 17 days following complications
in the 19th week of pregnancy with twins.
The woman's family alleged that the doctor refused to
intervene and remove the fetuses following a respiratory crisis
because he was a conscientious objector who refused to take part
in abortions.
The woman was pregnant following assisted-fertility
treatment at another health centre.
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