- Abortion legal status
- Legal
- Emergency number
- 112
Updated July 2026
Good to know
Good to Know
- None of the five Cinque Terre villages has a hospital or ER — for any urgent medical or assault-related care, the practical destination is Ospedale Sant'Andrea in La Spezia, reachable by the regional train that connects all five villages.
- Emergency contraception (the 'pillola del giorno dopo') is sold over the counter at ordinary pharmacies in each village without needing to travel to La Spezia, but stock and opening hours in small village pharmacies can be limited, especially outside peak tourist season — call ahead if possible.
- The 1522 national helpline operates in English and several other languages, which is useful for travelers who don't speak Italian and need support quickly.
- Routine prescription contraception (the daily pill, patch, ring) and IUD/implant insertion require an appointment with a doctor or gynecologist — these services aren't available within the villages, so nomads planning a longer stay may want to sort this out in a larger city before arriving.
- Cinque Terre's five villages have no hospital of their own — for any gynecological need (routine care, contraception, or abortion-related care), you'll need to take the short train ride to La Spezia, the main gateway town.
- Abortion is legal on request in Italy up to 90 days (about 12 weeks 6 days) of pregnancy, and free of charge for residents and non-residents alike through the public health system.
- A real practical hurdle in Italy is that a majority of gynecologists are registered 'conscientious objectors' who won't perform abortions — if you need one, ask specifically for a non-objecting doctor (medico non obiettore) or go through the local consultorio familiare (family counselling centre), which is set up to route you to one.
- If you don't have an EU health card or Italian SSN registration, be prepared to pay out-of-pocket for a private gynecology visit (roughly EUR 110-150), though public emergency care is available to everyone regardless of residency status.
Abortion Law And OB-GYN
Abortion Law
- Minors
- Parental (or guardian) consent is generally required for minors under 18, though if parents refuse or direct consultation is unfeasible, a juvenile judge can authorize the procedure; urgent procedures exempt the woman from either requirement.
- Country
- Italy
- Legal Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Governing Law
- Law No. 194 of 22 May 1978 (Legge 194/78)
- Waiting Period
- A pre-abortion medical certificate confirming pregnancy is required, and at the discretion of the doctor a mandatory 7-day waiting period can be imposed on those seeking access within the first 90 days.
- Cost And Access
- Abortions are performed free of charge in public hospitals or in private structures authorized by the regional health authorities, and both surgical and medical abortions are free of charge for resident and non-resident women.
- Abortion Time Limits
- Abortion in Italy became legal in May 1978, when Italian women were allowed to terminate a pregnancy on request during the first 12 weeks and 6 days (90 days). Italian women are eligible to request an abortion for health, economic or social reasons, including the circumstances under which conception occurred.
- Second Trimester Rules
- The law also allows termination in the second trimester of the pregnancy only when the life of the woman would be at risk if the pregnancy is carried to term or the fetus carries genetic or other serious malformations which would put the mother at risk of serious psychological or physical consequences.
- Foreigners And Tourists
- Legally resident foreign citizens who register with Italy's National Health Service (SSN) get free access to abortion care; undocumented foreigners can apply for an S.T.P. (Straniero Temporaneamente Presente) card, valid six months, issued by the local health authority or a hospital.
- Conscientious Objection Caveat
- Access to abortion facilities is significantly complicated in practice by a high rate of conscientious objection among gynaecologists — 63% of the total nationally in 2021 — meaning some hospitals effectively cannot offer the procedure even though it is legal; the objection rate is lower in northern regions like Liguria (where Cinque Terre is located) than in southern Italy.
- Medical Abortion Note
- In August 2020, Italy's Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) revised guidelines for mifepristone (RU-486), extending its use from up to 7 weeks of pregnancy to 9 weeks and permitting outpatient or at-home administration under medical supervision.
- Practical Note For This Area
- There is no legal restriction specific to the Cinque Terre / La Spezia area beyond national Law 194 — access simply depends on finding a non-objecting doctor and the relevant ASL (local health authority) counselling centre (consultorio familiare).
OB-GYN Options
- Location Note
- The five Cinque Terre villages themselves (Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore) have no hospital or specialist OBGYN clinics — the nearest real gynecological care is in La Spezia, the gateway/transit town about 20-30 minutes away by train, which is the practical option for any nomad based in Cinque Terre.
Options
Ospedale Sant'Andrea Di La Spezia – Reparto Di Ostetricia E Ginecologia (ASL 5)
- Type
- Public hospital OB/GYN department
- Location
- Via Vittorio Veneto 197, La Spezia
- Notes
- The main public hospital gynecology and obstetrics department serving the area; director is Dr. Fabio Sanguineti. Handles prenatal care, gynecological surgery (largely minimally-invasive/laparoscopic), and emergency obstetric care.
- Cost Note
- Public/SSN-covered care is free for registered residents; emergency care is available to visitors via the public system, typically with an out-of-pocket fee for non-residents unless entitled under EU health-coverage agreements.
AIED Consultorio (Family Counselling Centre) La Spezia
- Type
- Public/nonprofit family planning and counselling clinic (consultorio familiare)
- Location
- Piazza Verdi, 23, La Spezia
- Notes
- Offers gynecological consultations, contraception counselling, and is a recognized entry point for the Law 194 pre-abortion certification process; several gynecologists are affiliated.
- Cost Note
- Low-cost/subsidized, typical of Italy's public consultori network.
Dr.ssa Claudia Mazzei – Private Gynecology Practice
- Type
- Private OB/GYN practice
- Location
- La Spezia (also sees patients in Aulla)
- Notes
- A private gynecologist based in La Spezia who explicitly identifies as a non-objecting physician under Law 194/78, meaning she can issue the required pregnancy certification for a first-trimester abortion; also offers routine gynecology, prenatal ultrasounds, contraception, and menopause care.
- Cost Note
- Private consultation; typical private gynecology visit fees in the La Spezia area run roughly EUR 110-150 per visit based on local booking-platform listings.
Private Gynecologists Bookable Via Doctolib/MioDottore in La Spezia
- Type
- Private practice directory
- Location
- Central La Spezia (multiple studios, several near Ospedale Sant'Andrea)
- Notes
- Several private OB/GYNs with hospital affiliations to Ospedale Sant'Andrea take bookings through online platforms, useful for a same-week appointment without going through the public system.
- Cost Note
- €110
Typical listed price for a standard private 'visita ginecologica' near La Spezia/Sarzana
Emergency Numbers
- Police Medical Emergency
- 112 or 113 (police), 118 (medical emergency) — nationwide in Italy
National GBV Stalking Hotline
- Number
- 1522
- Details
- A free, anonymous, 24-hour national helpline for victims of gender-based violence and stalking, run by Italy's Department for Equal Opportunities.
Contraception Access
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
Ongoing Female Methods
- IUD Implant
- Insertion requires an in-person consultation and procedure with a gynecologist; not available in the villages themselves — plan on a trip to a gynecology clinic or the Ospedale Sant'Andrea gynecology department in La Spezia, or arrange this in a larger city (Genoa, Florence, La Spezia) before or after your stay.
- Pill Patch Ring
- Requires a doctor's prescription in Italy (from a GP, gynecologist, or a public family-planning clinic — consultorio familiare). None of these clinics are located inside the Cinque Terre villages; the nearest are in La Spezia.
Emergency Contraception
- Availability
- Sold over the counter at any pharmacy (farmacia) in Italy, including the small pharmacies present in Cinque Terre's villages, with no prescription required for adult women for at least one formulation.
- Practical Note
- Bring photo ID — pharmacists may ask to verify age. Some individual pharmacists in Italy can legally decline to dispense on grounds of conscientious objection, but they are required to promptly inform the patient so she can obtain it elsewhere without delay.
Options
Ulipristal acetate (e.g. EllaOne) — the '5-day pill'
- Price Estimate
- €30
- Prescription Needed
- No, for women of any age at pharmacies/parafarmacie in Italy per current AIFA (Italian Medicines Agency) classification; effective up to 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected sex.
- Brand Type
- Levonorgestrel (e.g. Norlevo) — the classic 'morning-after pill'
- Price Estimate
- €15
- Prescription Needed
- No prescription needed for adult women (18+); minors legally need a prescription, obtainable from an ER, family planning clinic (consultorio familiare), or GP. Effective up to 72 hours after unprotected sex.
Assault And Domestic Violence Support
1522 (Numero Antiviolenza E Stalking)
- Type
- National telephone/chat helpline
- Access
- Call 1522 free from any landline or mobile anywhere in Italy, use the anonymous online chat at 1522.eu, or download the 1522 app.
- Languages
- Italian, English, French, Spanish, Arabic, German, plus others by appointment (e.g. Albanian, Farsi)
- Description
- Free, 24/7, staffed by trained operators who provide crisis support and refer callers to the nearest anti-violence centre, shelter, or health/social service.
D.i.Re (Donne in Rete Contro La Violenza)
- Type
- National network of anti-violence centres and shelters
- Description
- The largest Italian network of women's anti-violence centres, with an online tool to locate the nearest centre or safe house to a given location; the closest affiliated centres to Cinque Terre would be in the La Spezia / Genoa area rather than inside the villages themselves.
Ospedale Sant'Andrea, La Spezia — Pronto Soccorso & Ginecologia
- Type
- Hospital emergency department + gynecology unit
- Address
- Via Vittorio Veneto 197, La Spezia
- Description
- The main hospital serving the Cinque Terre area, with an emergency room and a dedicated gynecology/obstetrics department; this is the practical destination for a forensic exam or urgent care after an assault, since the five villages have no hospital of their own.
Location Context
Cinque Terre is a cluster of five small coastal villages (Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore) with no hospital or emergency room of their own. The nearest hospital with an emergency department and gynecology unit is Ospedale Sant'Andrea in La Spezia, roughly 20-40 minutes away by train/car depending on which village you're in.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
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Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.