Criminal law disciplines differently infanticide depending on the historical period and the family and social role of the mother. The Author describes the historical evolution of infanticide in Italy, the current legislation and the most relevant court cases on the topic. Infanticide can be punished more or less severely than murder and there are specific circumstances in which it’s punishment differs from murder in general: both aspects highlight the specific role of motherhood during different historical periods and the social representation of the mother given by the different criminal legislations.
Keywords: Motherhood, infanticide, criminal law.