Just over nine in 10 of the Maltese believe that the unborn child has human rights and should be protected, according to an opinion survey on abortion carried out by the anti-abortion group Gift of Life.
The vast majority of respondents - 86 per cent - were against abortion and 83.5 per cent (60.2 per cent women and 39.8 per cent) said they believed life begins at conception.
The telephone survey, carried out between January 7-10, covered a representative random sample of 511 households.
Gift Of Life representative Paul Vincenti said the figures showed that the vast majority of Maltese still valued the life of the unborn child.
Despite a growing "culture of death" in the world, the Maltese were firmly against any possibility of the legalisation of abortion, he said.
Respondents were asked whether they would favour abortion under a number of particular circumstances and 66.8 per cent were completely set against abortion irrespective of the situation.
A total of 26.7 per cent were in favour of abortion to save the mother's life; 13.4 per cent in cases of rape; 7.9 per cent in cases of incest and nine per cent in cases of foetal abnormalities.
Gift of Life said yesterday it was encouraging that 88.6 per cent of those interviewed felt that abortion, even in the early stages, constituted the destruction of a human life.
Asked if Malta should eventually introduce abortion if all of Europe accepted it, the resounding reply - 82.1 per cent - was no.
Most pertinently, 81.7 per cent believed the government should do its utmost to prevent abortion ever being legalised in Malta.
"Life is a precious gift that must never be taken for granted. Malta has a proud heritage of caring for the weak and defenceless; we must strive to pass this great part of our Maltese character on to future generations. Abortion is always wrong," the group said.
In view of these results, Gift of Life has formally recommended to the parliamentary standing committee on social affairs that the Constitution should be amended to better protect life in the womb.
The Movement for the Protection of the Unborn Child, made up of 37 organisations, yesterday issued a statement to mark the Day of Life on Sunday.
The movement said that 4,000 babies were born in Malta each year and their parents should recognise the unique privilege they had. It also highlighted the negative effects drugs, alcohol and smoking had on the unborn child.
While recognising the great advances of science and technology, the movement said the rights of the unborn child should come before any scientific interests.
The movement, together with the Malta Union of Professional Psychologists, will be holding a round table conference on Friday evening to tackle the issue of the mother's psychological health and that of her unborn child.