Gianna Beretta Molla

**Saunt Gianna Beretta Molla** (4 October 1922 – 28 Apryle 1962) wis an Italian pediatrician, wife an mither who is best kent for refusin baith an abortion an a hysterectomy whan she wis pregnant wi her fowert bairn, despite knawin that continuin wi the pregnancy coud result in her daith. She wis canonizit as a saunt o the Catholic Kirk in 2004.

## Biographical details
### Early life
Gianna Francesca Beretta wis born in Magenta in Italy. She wis the tent o thirteen childer in her faimily, anerly nine o whom survivit tae adultheid. When she wis three, her faimily muivit tae Bergamo, an she grew up in the Lombardy region o Italy.

In 1942, Gianna began her study o medicine in Milan. Ootside o her schuilin, she wis active in Azione Cattolica. She receivit a medical diploma in 1949, an opened an office in Mesero, near her hametoun o Magenta, whaur she specializit in pediatrics.

Gianna howpit tae join her brither, a missionar priest in Brazil, whaur she intendit tae affer her medical expertise in gynecologie tae poor weemen. Housomeivver, her chronic ill halth made this impractical, an she continued her practice in Italy.

### Engagement an marriage

In Dizember 1954, Gianna met Pietro Molla, an ingineer who wirkit in her office, ten years aulder than she. Thay wur offeecially engaged the follaein Apryle, an thay mairit in September 1955.

Thay welcomed Pierluigi, in 1956, Mariolina, in 1957 an Laura, wis born in 1959. Gianna suffered twa miscarriages efter this.

### Feenal pregnancy

In 1961, Gianna wis pregnant ance again. Durin the seicont month, Gianna developit a fibroma on her uterus. Efter examination, the doctors gae her three choices: a abortion,  a complete hysterectomie, or remuival o anerly the fibroma. The Catholic Kirk forbids aw direct abortion even whan the wumman's life is in danger, but Catholic teachin wad hae alloued her tae unnergo a hysterectomie, which wad hae resultit in her unborn bairn's daith as an unintendit consequence.

Gianna optit for the remuival o the fibroma, wantin tae preserve her bairn's life.

Efter the operation, complications continued throuoot her pregnancy. Gianna wis quite clear aboot her wishes, expressin tae her faimily, "This time it will be a difficult delivery, an they mey hae tae save ane or the ither -- A want thaim tae save ma baby."

On 21 Apryle 1962, Guid Friday o that year, Gianna went tae the hospital, whaur her fowert bairn, Gianna Emanuela, wis successfully delivered via Caesarean section. Housomeivver, Gianna continued tae hae severe pain, an dee'd o septic peritonitis 7 days efter the birth.

## Canonization

Gianna wis beatifee'd  bi Pape John Paul II on Apryle 24, 1994, an offeecially canonizit a saunt on 16 Mey 2004. Gianna's husband Pietro, an thair dochter Laura, wur present at the canonization ceremony, the first time in the history o the Kirk that a husband witnessed his wife's canonisation.

The miracle recognizit bi the Catholic Kirk tae canonize Gianna Molla involved a mither, Elizabeth Comparini, who wis 16 weeks pregnant in 2003 an sustained a tear in her placenta that drained her womb o aw amniotic fluid. Acause a normal term o pregnancy is 40 weeks, Comparini wis tauld bi her doctors the baby's chance o survival wis "nil." Comparini said she prayed tae Gianna Molla askin for her intercession, an wis able tae deliver a halthy baby despite the lack o amniotic fluid.

In his homily at her canonization Mass, Pape John Paul II cried Gianna "a simple, but mair nor iver, significant messenger o divine luve."

Maria Zita (Mariolina) Molla dee'd in 1964 at the age o sax, frae a rare complication o measles.

Pietro Molla, dee'd at 97 in 2010 nearly 50 years efter Saunt Gianna dee'd.

## Inspiration

St. Gianna is the inspiration ahint the Gianna Center in New York Ceety. It is the first pro-life, Catholic halthcare centre for weemen in New York. The Gianna Centre provides primar care wi specialisit gynecologic care.

## Devotions
### Patronage
St. Gianna is a patron saunt for mithers, pheesicians, an unborn childer.

### Litany
A litany tae St. Gianna Molla haes abeen written an aw, an mey be foond here .

## References

* Molla, Gianna Beretta, *Love Letters to My Husband*, Guerriero, Elio, ed., Pauline Beuks, 2002.


## Freemit airtins

*The National Gianna Center for Women’s Health and Fertility 
*St  Gianna Physician's Guild 
*Saunt Gianna wabsteid 
*St. Gianna Beretta Molla 
*
*Life o St Gianna