In the latest years, foreign population has been steadily increasing in Lombardy, especially within the metropolitan area of Milan. The female presence has particularly grown, thus producing a better balance between genders. This is certainly due to the persistence of groups where females prevail, but also to a progressive rebalance of nationalities that previously were mostly male composed. This factor, together with the young age of immigrant population, has certainly created, at least on a theoretical level, a suitable context for reproductivity. The essays deals with this topic and tries to define the basic features of this phenomenon. To this aim, the latest official statistical data were used and researches were conducted into the obstetric and gynaecological wards of the Milan clinic such as Mangiagalli, Buzzi, R. Elena, Niguarda. The observation was carried out in 1998 and took into account 3.717 foreign women admitted to delivery or abortion in the years 1996 and 1997. Besides data strictly relevant to the questions under study and biographical characteristics of foreign women, special attention was given to past personal reproductive experiences. Information collected enables researchers to describe both cases.

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gender relations abortion Italy Milan fertility womens status Lombardy immigrant population