PIP: A questionnaire was devised to determine whether abortion is a matter which affects men. 104 men were interviewed, almost all resident in Genoa, a few in Venice and Milan, Italy, aged 19-67 years. The best represented group was the 30-40 age group with 42 men (40.38%). There were only 4 men under 20 and only 2 over age 60. Clerical workers and civil servants were the dominant group (34.6%), followed by the professional and managerial class (23%) and workers (21%); there were fewer craftsmen, traders, and students. 61.5% indicated they had a "direct" experience of abortion (of their women partners). 43.7% stated that the choice was made by both partners; the initiative was the couple's. In 34.3% of the cases, the woman took the initiative on her own. If there were quite a few men who still spoke with resentment of this imposition, the silence of most of them in this regard is thought to be because the woman's decision also could have been a painful necessity dictated by the man's absence. The situation is reversed in the 21.8% cases where the man made the decision. Among these cases there emerged a sort of counterdecision, that of 1 man who forbade his wife absolutely to proceed with an abortion which she wanted, and conquently the abortion did not occur. According to the men, they accompanied their wives or companions, encourage them, and helped them with the housework. 59.3% of the 64 men who indicated they had this experience stated that they played an active role; 31.2% felt that the abortion was something totally to do with the woman, and they let her do everthing. Almost all men reported fear, anxiety, and tension. 9.3% indicated that the matter did not affect them. That abortion leaves a long-lasting memory was confirmed by 17.8% of those men who had experienced it. In 46.8% of the cases, the relationship suffered serious aftereffects, and in a further 15.6% of cases the final breakup was attributed to the abortion itself.