Abstract
Pharmacological abortion is the practice of voluntary termination of pregnancy most frequently chosen by women. The alleged ease of use, the possibility of avoiding hospitalisation, the exaltation of privacy and the woman’s self-determination represent the main reasons for this abortion choice.
The reflection will start from a historical analysis of the development of the abortion pill and its use in Italy through a procedure with a high emotional, health, legal and ethical impact, which does not seem to comply with law 194/78, which regulates the IVG procedure. The data on abortion in Italy, which show a significant increase in pharmacological abortions, will be examined to analyse the change in the perception of the moral gravity of the pharmacological abortion act compared to the surgical one. From the bioethical point of view, the issue concerns the woman’s health, involving her dignity, but also the principle of autonomy, the role of the Consultatories and the doctor-patient relationship. The approach taken is based on the personalist bioethical perspective and the position of the Church Magisterium.