Background:

Multiple studies have been recorded regarding the perception of abortion among students in the health area.

Objective:

To know if medical-scientific training is sufficient to generate a change in the perception of first-year students of the National Autonomous University of Mexico Faculty of Medicine.

Material and methods:

A cross-sectional survey was applied in two times, with the level of relationship between the items of each dimension being analyzed using Cramer's V test. The results were compared to analyze if there was a change in the perception of abortion after the human embryology course.

Results:

With an initial population of 2,150 students, 393 pre-course and 394 post-course surveys were conducted. The results indicated that despite the existence of changes in the perception of Faculty of Medicine students with regard to abortion, they are not significant.

Conclusions:

The medical-scientific training provided by the human embryology course is not enough to provide foundations to the perception of students on issues such as abortion or conscientious objection.