[Evolution of voluntary interruption of pregnancy in Italy from its legalization until today]. / L'evoluzione dell'interruzione volontaria di gravidanza in Italia dalla legalizzazione ad oggi.

Induced abortion was legalized in Italy in 1978. After an initial increase in the incidence, from 187,631 in 1979 to 234,801 in 1983, induced abortion has steadily decreased to 140,398 in 1996. Analysis of the abortion rates has shown that the main decrease has been among married women aged 25-35, while there has been an increase among unmarried women. Women with lower levels of education tend to have higher rates and housewives have higher rates than women in paid work. Programmes for the prevention of induced abortion should be directed at directed at easily accessible groups: women who have just delivered a baby, couples who marry, teenagers in school and women who have already had an induced abortion. In any case, the need for rationalisation of the procedure to obtain an induced abortion is urgent.

[Congenital hypothyroidism: organization and coordination of neonatal screening in Italy]. / Ipotiroidismo congenito: organizzazione e coordinamento dello screening neonatale in Italia.

Congenital hypothyroidism (IC) is the most frequent endocrine disease of the infancy and it is caused by primary deficiency of thyroid hormones. The damages derived by protracted hormone deficiency are diffused to all organs and systems and particularly severe for the development of central nervous system. Mental retardation can be prevented by early diagnosis and therapy. Early diagnosis is assured by neonatal thyroid screening performed on all newborns in the first days of life. The progress report on the screening situation in Italy as well as the national coordination realized in this field are presented.

Serum antibodies to poliomyelitis in Italy.

A seroepidemiological survey was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the Italian nationwide immunization programme against poliomyelitis. Over 3800 serum samples were collected from persons, aged between 6 months and 79 years and residing in urban and rural areas with different socioeconomic conditions and geographic locations.A very high level of protection was found in the target population, confirming the almost 100% history of complete immunization. Almost all subjects over 30 years of age were found to have poliovirus antibodies, although they had never been vaccinated. In Naples, a higher proportion of subjects susceptible to all 3 types of virus was found in the age group 6-23 months, suggesting a delay in the administration of vaccine. This was confirmed by the analysis of the immunization history. No difference was observed between urban and rural areas, in either serological results or history of immunization.The results confirmed the higher immunogenicity of poliovirus type 2 with respect to the other two types, the effectiveness of the vaccine, and, finally, the efficiency of the operational procedures adopted for its administration.