Risk to woman's life, to her health*, rape, or fetal impairment
Risk to woman's life, to her health*, or fetal impairment
Risk to woman's life*, to her health*, or rape
Risk to woman's life or to her health
Risk to woman's life
Illegal with no exceptions
No information
* Does not apply to some countries or territories in that category
Note: In some countries or territories, abortion laws are modified by other laws,regulations,legal principles orjudicial decisions. This map shows their combined effect as implemented by the authorities.
Abortion laws vary widely among countries and territories, and have changed over time. Such laws range fromabortion being freely available on request, to regulation or restrictions of various kinds, to outright prohibition in all circumstances. Many countries and territories that allow abortion havegestational limits for the procedure depending on the reason; with the majority being up to 12 weeks for abortion on request, up to 24 weeks forrape,incest, orsocioeconomic reasons, and more forfetal impairment or risk to the woman'shealth orlife. As of 2025, countries that legally allow abortion on request or for socioeconomic reasons comprise about 60% of the world's population. In 2024,France became the first country to explicitly protect abortion rights inits constitution,[1] whileYugoslavia implicitly inscribed abortion rights inits constitution in 1974.[2]
Abortion continues to be a controversial subject in many societies onreligious,moral, ethical, practical, and political grounds. Though it has been banned and otherwise limited by law in many jurisdictions, abortions continue to be common in many areas, even where they are illegal. According to a 2007 study conducted by theGuttmacher Institute and theWorld Health Organization, abortion rates are similar in countries where the procedure is legal and in countries where it is not,[3][4] due to unavailability of moderncontraceptives in areas where abortion is illegal.[5] Also according to the study, the number of abortions worldwide is declining due to increased access to contraception.[3][4]
Abortion has existed since ancient times, with naturalabortifacients being found amongst a wide variety of tribal people and in most written sources. The earliest known records of abortion techniques and general reproductive regulation date as far back as 2700 BC inChina, and 1550 BC inEgypt.[6] Early texts contain little mention of abortion or abortion law. When it does appear, it is entailed in concerns about maleproperty rights, preservation of social order, and the duty to produce fit citizens for the state or community. The harshest penalties were generally reserved for a woman who procured an abortion against her husband's wishes, and for slaves who produced abortion in a woman of high status. Religious texts often contained severe condemnations of abortion, recommending penance but seldom enforcing secular punishment. As a matter ofcommon law inEngland and theUnited States, abortion was illegal anytime afterquickening—when the movements of thefetus could first be felt by the woman. Under theborn alive rule, the fetus was not considered a "reasonable being"in rerum natura; and abortion was not treated asmurder in English law.
In the 19th century, many Western countries began to codify abortion laws or place further restrictions on the practice.Anti-abortion movements were led by a combination of groups opposed to abortion on moral grounds, and by medical professionals who were concerned about the danger presented by the procedure and the regular involvement of non-medical personnel in performing abortions. Nevertheless, it became clear that illegal abortions continued to take place in large numbers even where abortions were rigorously restricted. It was difficult to obtain sufficient evidence to prosecute the women and abortion doctors, and judges and juries were often reluctant to convict. For example,Henry Morgentaler, a Canadianpro-choice advocate, was never convicted by a jury. He was acquitted by a jury in the 1973 court case, but the acquittal was overturned by five judges on theQuebec Court of Appeal in 1974. He went to prison, appealed, and was again acquitted. In total, he served 10 months, suffering a heart attack while insolitary confinement. Many were also outraged at the invasion of privacy and the medical problems resulting from abortions taking place illegally in medically dangerous circumstances. Political movements soon coalesced around the legalization of abortion andliberalization of existing laws.
By the first half of the 20th century, many countries had begun to liberalize abortion laws, at least when performed to protect the woman's life and in some cases on the woman's request. UnderVladimir Lenin, theSoviet Union became the first modern state in legalizing abortions on request—the law was first introduced in theRussian SFSR in 1920, in theUkrainian SSR in July 1921, and then in the whole country.[7][8] TheBolsheviks saw abortion as a social evil created by the capitalist system, which left women without the economic means to raise children, forcing them to perform abortions. The Soviet state initially preserved thetsarist ban on abortion, which treated the practice aspremeditated murder. However, abortion had been practiced by Russian women for decades and its incidence skyrocketed further as a result of theRussian Civil War, which had left the country economically devastated and made it extremely difficult for many people to have children. The Soviet state recognized that banning abortion would not stop the practice because women would continue using the services of private abortionists. In rural areas, these were often old women who had no medical training, which made their services very dangerous to women's health. In November 1920, the Soviet government legalized abortion in state hospitals. The state considered abortion as a temporary necessary evil, which would disappear in the future communist society, which would be able to provide for all the children conceived.[9][page needed] In 1936,Joseph Stalin placed prohibitions on abortions, which restricted them to medically recommended cases only, in order to increase population growth after the enormous loss of life inWorld War I and theRussian Civil War.[10][11][8] In the 1930s, several countries (Poland,Turkey,Denmark,Sweden,Iceland,Mexico) legalized abortion in some special cases (pregnancy from rape, threat to mother's health, fetal malformation). InJapan, abortion was legalized in 1948 by the Eugenic Protection Law,[12] amended in May 1949 to allow abortions for economic reasons.[13] Abortion was legalized in 1952 inYugoslavia (on a limited basis[which?]), and again in 1955 in the Soviet Union on request. SomeSoviet allies (Poland,Hungary,Bulgaria,Czechoslovakia,Romania) legalized abortion in the late 1950s under pressure from the Soviets.[how?][14][additional citation(s) needed]
In theUnited Kingdom, theAbortion Act of 1967 clarified and prescribed abortions as legal up to 28 weeks (later reduced to 24 weeks). Other countries soon followed, includingCanada (1969), the United States (1973 in most states, pursuant toRoe v. Wade—theU.S. Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion nationwide),Tunisia and Denmark (1973),Austria (1974),France and Sweden (1975),New Zealand (1977),Italy (1978), theNetherlands (1984), andBelgium (1990). However, these countries vary greatly in the circumstances under which abortion was to be permitted. In 1975, the West German Supreme Courtstruck down a law legalizing abortion, holding that they contradict theconstitution'shuman rights guarantees. In 1976, a law was adopted which enabled abortions up to 12 weeks. AfterGermany's reunification, despite the legal status of abortion informer East Germany, a compromise was reached which deemed most abortions up to 12 weeks legal, but this law was struck down by theFederal Constitutional Court and amended to only remove the punishment in such cases, without any statement to legality. In jurisdictions governed undersharia law, abortion after the 120th day from conception (19 weeks fromLMP) is illegal, especially for those who follow the recommendations of theHanafi legal school, while most jurists of theMaliki legal school "believe thatensoulment occurs at the moment ofconception, and they tend to forbid abortion at any point [similar to the Roman Catholic Church]. The other schools hold intermediate positions. ... The penalty prescribed for an illegal abortion varies according to particular circumstances involved. According to sharia, it should be limited to a fine that is paid to the father or heirs of the fetus."[15]
The table below lists in chronological order theUnited Nations member states that have legalized abortion on request in at least some initial part of the pregnancy, or that have fullydecriminalized abortion. As of 2025, 67 countries have legalized or decriminalized abortion on request.
Notes
Where a country has legalized abortion on request, prohibited it, and legalized it again (e.g., formerSoviet Union,Romania), only the later year is included. Countries that result from the merger of states where abortion on request was legal at the moment of unification show the year when it became legal across the wholenational territory (e.g.,Germany,Vietnam). Similarly, countries where not all subnationaljurisdictions have legalized abortion on request are not included, leading to the exclusion ofAustralia,Mexico, and theUnited Kingdom. Countries where abortion on request was once legalized nationwide but has since been prohibited in at least part of the country, such as theUnited States andPoland, are also excluded. Countries are counted even if they were not yet independent at the time. The year refers to when the relevant law orjudicial decisioncame into force, which may be different from the year when it was approved.
While abortions are legal at least under certain conditions in almost all countries, these conditions vary widely. According to aUnited Nations (UN) report with data gathered up to 2019,[44] abortion is allowed in 98% of countries in order to save a woman's life. Other commonly accepted reasons are preserving physical (72%) or mental health (69%), in cases of rape or incest (61%), and in cases of fetal impairment (61%). Performing an abortion because of economic or social reasons is accepted in 37% of countries. Performing abortion only on the basis of a woman's request is allowed in 34% of countries, including in Canada, most European countries and China.[44]
The exact scope of each legal ground also varies. For example, the laws of some countries cite health risks and fetal impairment as general grounds for abortion and allow a broad interpretation of such terms in practice, while other countries restrict them to a specific list of medical conditions or subcategories. Many countries that allow abortion havegestational limits for the procedure depending on the reason; with the majority being up to 12 weeks for abortion on request, up to 24 weeks for social, economic, rape, or incest reasons, and more for fetal impairment or threats to the woman's health or life.[44]: 26
In some countries, additional procedures must be followed before the abortion can be carried out even if the basic grounds for it are met. How strictly all of the procedures dictated in the legislation are followed in practice is another matter. For example, in the United Kingdom, aCare Quality Commission's report in 2012 found that severalNHS clinics were circumventing the law, using forms pre-signed by one doctor, thus allowing abortions to patients who only met with one doctor.[45]
Summary tables
Legend
permitted
In many cases, abortion is permitted only up to a certaingestational age. If this limit is known and does not vary by subdivision, it is shown instead of "permitted".
Legal limits may not be directly comparable. Limits may be expressed in trimesters, months, weeks of pregnancy (implantation), weeks fromfertilization, or weeks fromlast menstrual period (LMP).
*LMP is the time since the last menstrual period began.
This color-coded map illustrates the current legal status of elective-specific abortion procedures in each of the individual states, U.S. territories, and federal district.[fv] State supreme courts and other high courts may mandate that abortions either are able or are not able to be performed, even if law allows or does not allow it. A colored border indicates a more stringent restriction or ban that is blocked by legal injunction.
Color-coded map illustrating availability ofabortion in Canada, in weeks of embryonic age (from fertilization). Abortion is legal at all stages in Canada, but availability is subject to medical guidelines.
Colour-coded map illustrating accessibility ofabortion in Australia, in weeks of embryonic age (from fertilization). Beyond the limits it is legal with two doctors' approval.
Available first 16 weeks
Available first 22 weeks
Available first 23 weeks
Available first 24 weeks
Legal at any stage if provided by medical doctor.
Countries with more restrictive laws
Supporter of legalized abortion at a rally inParaná, Argentina. Argentina had restrictive laws until 2021.
Some of the countries ofCentral America, notablyEl Salvador, have also come to international attention due to very forceful enforcement of the laws, including the incarceration of agang-rape victim for homicide when she gave birth to a stillborn son and was accused of attempting an illegal abortion.[570][571][572]
El Salvador has some of the strictest abortion laws of any country. Abortion under all circumstances, including rape, incest, and risk to the mother's health, is illegal. Women can be criminalized and penalized to up to 40 years in prison after being found guilty of an abortion. El Salvador's abortion laws are so severe that miscarriages and stillbirths can sometimes be enough for conviction. TheInter-American Court has already ruled that El Salvador was responsible for the death of Manuela, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2008 for aggravated homicide after suffering an obstetric emergency that resulted in her losing her pregnancy.[573]
Controversy over the beginning of pregnancy occurs in different contexts, particularly in a legal context, and is particularly discussed within theabortion debate from the point of measuring thegestational age of the pregnancy. Pregnancy can be measured from a number of convenient points, including the day of lastmenstruation,ovulation,fertilization,implantation and chemical detection. A common medical way to calculate gestational age is to measure pregnancy from the first day of the last menstrual cycle.[fz] However, not all legal systems use this measure for the purpose of abortion law; for example countries such asBelgium,France, andLuxembourg use the term "pregnancy" in the abortion law to refer to the time elapsed from the sexual act that led toconception, which is presumed to be 2 weeks after the end of the last menstrual period.[ga]
Exceptions in abortion law
Exceptions in abortion laws occur either in countries where abortion is as a general rule illegal or in countries that have abortion on request with gestational limits. For example, if a country allows abortion on request until 12 weeks, it may create exceptions to this general gestation limit for later abortions in specific circumstances.[579]
There are a few exceptions commonly found in abortion laws. Legal domains which do not have abortion on demand will often allow it when the health of the mother is at stake. "Health of the mother" may mean something different in different areas: for example, prior to December 2018,Ireland allowed abortion only to save the mother's life, whereasabortion opponents in the United States argue health exceptions are used so broadly as to render a ban essentially meaningless.[580]
Laws allowing abortion in cases of rape orincest often differ. For example, beforeRoe v. Wade, thirteenU.S. states allowed abortion in the case of either rape or incest, but onlyMississippi permitted abortion of pregnancies due to rape, and no state permitted it for just incest.[581]
Many[vague] countries allow abortion only through the first or secondtrimester, and some may allow abortion in cases of fetal defects, e.g.,Down syndrome, or where the pregnancy is the result of asexual crime.
Laws in some countries with liberal abortion laws protect access to abortion services. Such legislation often seeks to guardabortion clinics againstobstruction,vandalism,picketing, and other actions, or to protect patients and employees of such facilities from threats and harassment.Other laws create a perimeter around a facility, known variously as a "buffer zone", "bubble zone", or "access zone", wheredemonstrations opposing abortion are not permitted. Protests and other displays are restricted to a certain distance from the building, which varies depending on the law. Similar zones have also been created to protect the homes of abortion providers and clinic staff. Bubble zone laws are divided into "fixed" and "floating" categories. Fixed bubble zone laws apply to the static area around the facility itself, and floating laws to objects in transit, such as people orcars.[582] Because of conflicts betweenanti-abortion activists on one side and women seeking abortion and medical staff who provides abortion on the other side, some laws are quite strict: inSouth Africa for instance, any person who prevents the lawful termination of a pregnancy or obstructs access to a facility for the termination of a pregnancy faces up to 10 years in prison (section 10.1 (c) of the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act[583]).
On 3 November 2020, an association of 20 Kenyan charities urged the government ofKenya to withdraw from theGeneva Consensus Declaration (GCD), a US-led international accord that sought to limit access to abortion for girls and women around the world. GCD was signed by 33 nations, on 22 October 2020.[584]
This sectionis in a table format thatmay be better if supplemented withprose. You can help by adding a prose summary of the table(s).Editing help is available.(October 2021)
Rex v Bourne Abortion in case of risk to physical or mental health included in risk to life. The decision was also implemented by some British territories and theirsuccessors.[368]
A, B and C v Ireland The court rejected the argument that article 8 conferred a right to abortion, but found that Ireland had violated theEuropean Convention on Human Rights by failing to provide an accessible and effective procedure by which a woman can have established whether she qualifies for a legal abortion.
^abIn 2021, the Chinese government issued guidelines reducing "non-medically necessary" abortions as a "step toward women's development".[17] The guidelines do not provide detail on what a "non-medically necessary" abortion is, nor what specific policies the government has planned to achieve this goal.[18][19]
^The law from 1957 legalizing the abortion on request was limited in 1962 when additional approval for each abortion had to be obtained from so called Abort Commission (which rejected about 15% of the requests). The Abort Commissions were abolished by law in 1986. Until 1993 each approved abortion was paid by state.[20][21]
^After explicit legalization struck down by supreme court decision, the law only removes punishment for abortion on request but with no statement about its legality.
^The law legalizing abortion on request was approved in 1995 and came into force in 1996.[32]
^The law legalizing abortion on request was approved in 2014 and came into force in 2015.[34]
^abcThe law of theIslamic Republic of Afghanistan consisted primarily ofstatutory law and a limited use ofIslamic jurisprudence.[48] The Afghan penal code criminalized abortion and only removed the penalty if the abortion was prescribed by a doctor to save the woman's life,[49][50] but other sources said that Afghanistan also allowed abortion in case of fetal impairment,[51] and rarely for economic reasons if accepted by a religious council.[52] After the2021 Taliban offensive, the new government announced its intention to implementIslamic law exclusively, and it is unclear which legal grounds for abortion it accepts.[53]
^The UN source says that this ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is accepted as a generallegal principle.[55] However, other sources say that abortion is not legally allowed under any circumstance in Andorra.[56]
^The UN source incorrectly shows Angola as allowing abortion on request, citing a penal code draft from 2014 that did not become law.[57] The version of the penal code enacted in 2020 and entered into force in 2021 allows abortion only in certain circumstances.[58]
^A 2001 UN source says that abortion must be performed within the first 16 weeks and that it may be permitted after this period under very exceptional circumstances.[60]
^Before independence, ajudicial decision in the parent country allowed abortion for this ground, but the decision has not been explicitly recognized by Antigua and Barbuda.[60][61]: 14
^Most laws of New South Wales and Queensland, including their abortion laws, are set to apply to Norfolk Island after 2026.[72][73] The Criminal Code of Norfolk Island, which remains in force in the territory, does not prohibit abortion.[74]
^Abortion up to 24 weeks may be performed if the medical practitioner considers the abortion is appropriate in all the circumstances, having regard to all relevant medical circumstances, the woman's current and future physical, psychological and social circumstances, and professional standards and guidelines. Later abortion may be performed, if two medical practitioners consider the abortion is appropriate in all the circumstances, having regard to the mentioned matters.[75] These criteria are not considered as allowing abortion on request.[64][65]
^abcIf the woman was under age 14 when getting pregnant, no limit is specified.
^abcThe penal code says that abortion is permitted fortherapeutic purposes but is unclear whether it means only to save the woman's life or also to preserve her health. The UN source marks it as a permitted ground.
^abcdeThe UN source marks it as a legal ground because the Penal Code explicitly prohibits abortion only if performed without the consent of the woman and of a medical practitioner.[84] However, the decree regulating medical practice prohibits abortion unless the pregnancy threatens the woman's life.[85]
^abcdeThe UN source does not explicitly mark this legal ground for abortion but says that "Menstrual regulation is available on request for women with a last menstrual period of 10 weeks or less."[46]
^The law permits abortion for medical reasons without gestational limit, for social reasons up to 22 weeks of gestation, and on request up to 12 weeks of gestation.[87] By regulation, fetal impairment is included as a medical reason,[88] and rape is included as a social reason.[89]
^abcDefined as 12 weeks from conception, considered as 14 weeks from the last menstrual period.[91]
^The penal code prohibits abortion except to save the woman's life, when the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest, or when the woman is of unsound mental condition.[94] Guidelines for health workers mention grounds of risk to the woman's health and fetal impairment, and define a gestational limit of 180 days.[95]
^abThis ground is only cited in guidelines for health workers, not by law.[94][95]
^This ground is established by a regulation implementing a judicial decision, although it is not mentioned in the decision itself or in the law.[96]
^The penal code criminalizes abortion except if done to save the woman's life or if the pregnancy is the result of rape.[101] Due to adecision by the Supreme Federal Court, abortion is also permitted in case ofanencephaly, and it may also be authorized by court order in other fatal cases of fetal impairment.[102][103][104]
^The penal code says that social demands are taken into account in a conviction for abortion.[108] It is unclear if this circumstance reduces the penalty or may remove it.
^There is no abortion law in Canada, but medical guidelines of its subdivisions and individual providers may limit the abortion services that they offer depending on gestational age and medical reasons.[111][112][113]
^The penal code says that abortion may be permitted to an underage woman in a state of grave distress up to 8 weeks.[115]
^If the woman is under age 14, the gestational limit is 14 weeks.
^abcdefThis ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is established by judicial decision.[123][124][40]
^abThis ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law.[126] The Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which is declared to be an integral part of theconstitution, says that "Abortion, other thantherapeutic, is prohibited and punishable by law."[127] It is unclear whether the therapeutic ground means only to save the woman's life or also to preserve her health. The UN source says that only the ground to save the woman's life is accepted as a generallegal principle.[44]
^If the woman is of young age or immature and so unable to care for the child in a proper way, abortion may be allowed up to fetal viability.[138]
^Before independence, ajudicial decision in the parent country allowed abortion for this ground, but the decision has not been explicitly recognized by Dominica.[143]
^The UN source says that this ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is accepted as a generallegal principle. However, other sources say that abortion is not legally allowed under any circumstance in the Dominican Republic.[145][146]
^The UN source shows East Timor as allowing abortion also in case of risk to the woman's health or fetal impairment, citing the penal code enacted in March 2009 and entered into force in June 2009.[147][148] However, the penal code was amended in July 2009 to restrict abortion only to save the woman's life.[149][148][150]
^This ground is explicitly mentioned in the law only in case of rape of a woman with a mental disability, but it is also established by judicial decision in case of rape of any woman.[151]
^abcAbortion is permitted if the woman is under age 18.
^abcIf the woman is under age 15 or over age 45, the gestational limit is 22 weeks.
^Permitted up to 28 weeks of gestation if the woman is unfit to raise the child due to a physical or mental disability or for being under age 18. The penalty for abortion may be mitigated in case of extreme poverty.[159][160]
^abcDefined as 14 weeks of pregnancy, considered as 16 weeks from the last menstrual period.[167]
^The penal code says that abortion may be permitted to an underage woman in a state of grave distress up to 10 weeks.
^abcThe criminal code specifies that abortion is not deemed an offence if the woman requests it, she has obtained counselling, and it is done by a physician within 12 weeks from conception. (Also, the woman is not punished for an abortion within 22 weeks if the other conditions are fulfilled.) The woman's living conditions are also taken into account in the indication of a serious risk to her health.[174][175]
^abIf the woman is a minor or incapable of resisting, the gestational limit is 19 weeks.
^abcdefThe penal code prohibits abortion only if done without the woman's consent, outside health care facilities or without professional qualification.[30][180] The law on reproductive health and family planning says that voluntary interruption of pregnancy is authorized according to the law on abortion,[181] but no specific law on abortion exists as of 2022.[182] A report by theMinistry of Public Health mentioned a gestational limit of 12 weeks.[183]
^abIf the woman isHIV-positive or contraception failure, the gestational limit is 16 weeks.
^A new penal code changing the legal grounds for abortion is set to enter into force in 2026.[185]
^abcThis ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is accepted as a generallegal principle.
^abcUp to 18 weeks if the woman is incapacitated or did not recognize the pregnancy due to illness or medical error, or in case of failure of a health institution.[187]
^Up to 24 weeks in case of prolongation of the diagnostic procedure, or no limit in case of fetal abnormality incompatible with life after birth.[187]
^No limit in case of "substantial foetal abnormalities".[189]
^This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law,[196] but it may be included in other legal grounds if the pregnancy causes unbearable hardship, such as significant harm to mental health or risk of suicide.[197][better source needed]
^This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is accepted as a generallegal principle.[198][199]
^abThis ground is only cited in instructions to health committees, not by law.[200]
^abIf the risk to life or health is immediate, no gestational limit is specified.
^abAbortion is permitted if the woman is under age 18 or over age 40, or if she is not married or the pregnancy is not from marriage.[202]
^The UN source marks it as a legal ground but it is onlymentioned by treaty, not implemented in the law.[204]
^This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is established by judicial decision.[215] It is also mentioned in the National Guidelines on Management of Sexual Violence.[216]
^abcdefThe penal code prohibits "unlawful abortion", defined as "abortion not authorized by medical doctor commission". The penal code also lists theprinciples of legitimate defense and necessity to save one's life, which lead to exemption from penal liability.[222] A decision by theMinistry of Health states that abortion is medically authorized, up to 28 weeks of gestation, due to certain medical conditions of the woman or fetus, rape, contraception failure, and certain socioeconomic conditions of the woman or her family.[223] AWHO source also shows Laos as allowing abortion on request up to 12 weeks of gestation, citing guidelines for health workers from 2016,[224] but they were issued before the penal code of 2017 defined "unlawful abortion" and are not mentioned in the decision by the Ministry of Health of 2021.
^abcIf the woman is under age 13 or over age 49, no limit is specified.
^This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law.[235] The UN source says that it is accepted as a generallegal principle,[44] but other sources say that abortion is not legally allowed under any circumstance in Madagascar.[236][237]
^The law of Maldives is a combination ofstatutory andIslamic law.[240] The Maldivian penal code criminalizes abortion after 120 days of gestation, except for risk to the woman's life.[241] The MaldivianIslamic jurisprudence allows abortion only for risk to the woman's life, without gestational limit, or in cases of rape, incest, or certain medical conditions of a fetus conceived in marriage, up to 120 days of gestation.[242][243]
^Only for certain medical conditions of a fetus conceived in marriage.[242][243]
^abThe penal code prohibits abortion without any explicit exception,[247] but the UN source says that abortion to save the woman's life is permitted as a general legal principle.[44] The law on child protection prohibits abortion except for a "proven medical need",[248] and the law on reproductive health prohibits abortion except in case of risk to the woman's life.[249] The government has stated that the law of the country permits abortion on therapeutic grounds.[250]
^Abortion for this ground is permitted by law in all subdivisions exceptGuanajuato andQuerétaro. In these twostates, medical professionals at federal health facilities may provide abortion without prosecution,[252][253] while others may be prosecuted but not imprisoned, and they may request judicial relief byamparo.[41][42]
^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabacadAbortion for this ground is permitted by law in somestates andMexico City. In other states, medical professionals at federal health facilities may provide abortion without prosecution,[252][253] while others may be prosecuted but not imprisoned, and they may request judicial relief byamparo.[41][42]
^abcThe penal codes of somestates specify a gestational limit for abortion in case of rape. However, in July 2021, theSupreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to set a limit for abortion on this ground.[254][255]
^abcThis ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is established by judicial decision.[262]
^abThis ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is established by judicial decision.[41][42]
^abcThis ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is established by judicial decision.[274]
^If the woman is under age 15 or over age 40, the gestational limit is 21 weeks.
^In 2016, the government of Morocco proposed allowing abortion in cases of rape, incest, mental disability and fetal impairment. However, theparliament did not approve the proposal,[293][294] and as of 2021 the abortion articles in the penal code remain unchanged.[295][296]
^May be permitted with no gestational limit in case the fetus is not viable.[297]
^abUp to 28 weeks if the woman hasHIV or a similar incurable disease.[301][302]
^abcdefghijklmnopqrThe Criminal Code of thepredecessor of Nigeria prohibited abortion except to save the woman's life. Ajudicial decision on a similar law in the parent country allowed abortion also to preserve the woman's health, but theWest African Court of Appeal, despite applying the reasoning of the parent country's decision, affirmed only the ground to save the woman's life in Nigerian law. The Criminal Code and its judicialprecedent remain in force in the southernstates of Nigeria. In the states corresponding to the formerNorthern Region, the Penal Code replaced the Criminal Code and its judicial precedent, and it also prohibits abortion except to save the woman's life.[304][305]
^abcdefThe criminal law of North Korea, as amended up to 2015, does not mention abortion.[307][308] In 2015 the North Korean government issued a directive prohibiting medical professionals from performing abortions but did not indicate a penalty for doing so.[309] In 2016, the government stated that abortion was "legal" and "provided upon request by the woman concerned for reasons of risks to her life, physical and mental health and fetal malformation", but it is unclear whether these were the only permitted reasons.[310] It has also been reported that repatriated pregnant women areforced to have abortions to prevent children of mixed ethnicity.[311][312]
^abcMay be permitted with no gestational limit in some cases.[313]
^No limit if it is clear that the fetus will die during pregnancy or shortly after birth.[314]
^abcThe penal law prohibits abortion without any explicit exception, but it exempts from penal liability actions done by necessity to protectoneself or others from a severe and imminent danger, and in the practice of agreed medical activities or urgent medical intervention.[315] The law regulating medical practice prohibits abortion except for risk to the woman's life or of unbearable illness, and in case of fetal impairment up to 120 days of gestation.[316]
^Different sources specify this limit as 120 days or four months of gestation.[319][320]
^abcdThe law prohibits abortion except to save the woman's life.[322] However, some sources say that abortion may also be permitted for health reasons and in cases of rape and fetal impairment,[323][324][325] while other sources say that it is not possible to obtain an abortion in any circumstance.[326]
^The law prohibits abortion done "unlawfully" without defining it, and it explicitly permits abortion to preserve the woman's life.[329] An opinion of the State Solicitor in 1982, based on court decisions on identical laws in the former parent country, considered that preservation of the woman's health was also a legal ground for abortion.[330][331] However, in 2018, in the case of a woman who had aborted at four months of pregnancy due to risk to health, theSupreme Court acquitted her because she had been wrongly charged for the crime of killing an unborn child, which only applies shortly before birth (section 312), but ruled that she should have still been charged for the crime of abortion (section 225).[332]
^In case of risk to the woman's life after fetal viability, the pregnancy may also be interrupted by attempting a live birth.
^Permitted until fetal viability in case of a fetal anomaly that poses a risk to the woman's health.
^abAbortion may also permitted up to 40 days of gestation for other reasons that are not economic or social concerns.[355][356][357]
^abThe penal code prohibits abortion without any explicit exception,[358] but the code of medical ethics permits abortion to save the woman's life.[359][44][360] The government has stated that abortion is authorized in case of risk to the woman's health.[361]
^abcdIn some cases, abortion may be allowed up to fetal viability or 26 weeks of gestation.[364][365]
^abSierra Leone established that the laws in force in England in 1880 would be in force in Sierra Leone from 1965.[366] One of these laws prohibited abortion done "unlawfully" without defining it.[367] Ajudicial decision in England in 1938 clarified that this law always implicitly allowed abortion at least to save the woman's life, and the decision allowed it also to preserve her health.[368] It is unclear whether Sierra Leone applies only the originallegal principle or also the judicial decision.[369][370] In 2015 theparliament of Sierra Leone passed a law allowing abortion on request but it was not signed by thepresident so it did notcome into force.[371][372]
^In some cases, the gestational limit is 12 weeks.
^The laws of South Korea prohibited abortion except for risk to the woman's health, rape, incest, or certain medical conditions, up to 24 weeks of gestation.[382] On 11 April 2019, theConstitutional Court ruled that the abortion restrictions were unconstitutional, giving thelegislature until the end of 2020 to amend the laws to allow abortion on request with some gestational limit. In October 2020 the government proposed a limit of 14 weeks for abortion on request and 24 weeks for certain other cases, but the legislature did not approve this or any other proposal on the subject before the end of the year, so the abortion laws became automatically invalid on 1 January 2021.[383] As of 2025, the legislature had still not approved any of the proposals, leaving abortion decriminalized without a clear gestational limit.[384]
^abThis ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is established by judicial decision.[383]
^In case of a fatal anomaly, no limit is specified.
^Inmainland Tanzania, articles 150 to 152 of the penal code prohibit abortion done "unlawfully", and article 230 of the same law permits abortion to preserve the woman's life. Article 219 additionally prohibits "child destruction", meaning abortion after fetal viability, presumed at 28 weeks of pregnancy, but still permits it to preserve the woman's life.[397] InZanzibar, the penal act has equivalent articles 129 to 131, 213 and 200.[398]
^This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law. A judicial decision by theEast African Court of Appeal, with jurisdiction over the predecessors of Tanzania, allowed abortion also to preserve the woman's health, and sources state that this decision remains binding after independence.[399]
^This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law[403] but it is accepted as a generallegal principle.[404]
^abIf the woman is under age 15 or over age 45, the gestational limit is 22 weeks.[416][417]
^abcACabinet resolution on abortion, issued under the law on medical liability, permits abortion "based on the request of the spouses, after the approval of the committee", "and with the approval of the treating physician for the medical condition justifying the abortion", in the first 120 days of pregnancy.[419] These provisions are considered to permit abortion in case of risk to the woman's physical or mental health, and may also include other cases.[420][421]
^abcdefghijklmnThis ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is considered to be included in a ground for preserving physical or mental health.[422][423][424]
^Abortion for this ground is permitted only inNorthern Ireland, up to 12 weeks of gestation.[425]
^abcdeAbortion for this ground is not permitted in somestates.
^Permitted in case of a lethal anomaly up to 20 weeks from fertilization, considered as 22 weeks from the last menstrual period.[429][428]
^abcdThe law sets a gestational limit of 15 weeks for abortion on this ground,[431] but the constitution invalidates its enforcement before fetal viability.[432]
^Permitted in the first 23 weeks of gestation if the fetus has a fatal abnormality.[435]
^abcdefgDefined as 20 weeks from fertilization, considered as 22 weeks from the last menstrual period.[427]
^This ground is not mentioned in the state law but it is established by judicial decision based on federal law.[440]
^Defined as 13 weeks from fertilization, considered as 15 weeks from the last menstrual period.[439][441]
^Defined as 10 weeks from fertilization, considered as 12 weeks from the last menstrual period.[442]
^Permitted in case of a lethal anomaly up to 20 weeks from fertilization, considered as 22 weeks from the last menstrual period.[442]
^Permitted in case of a fetal abnormality incompatible with life up to 20 weeks from fertilization, considered as 22 weeks from the last menstrual period.[445]
^Permitted in certain cases of fatal anomalies.[449][450]
^abcAbortion after viability is allowed if a physician judges it "necessary" under the "applicable standard of care".[451]
^abcCriminal law prohibits abortion after fetal viability except as stated in health law,[452] and health law states that "the State may not interfere" with abortion on this ground before viability.[453] Sources disagree whether it is actually prohibited after viability.[454][427]
^abcdThe law prohibits abortion on this ground,[462] but the constitution invalidates its enforcement before fetal viability.[463]
^abcdAlso allowed after this period if there is an absence of fetal viability.[468]
^Permitted up to 24 weeks of gestation in case of a life-limiting anomaly.[469]
^abcdefghijklmnA law prohibits abortion on this ground or sets a lower gestational limit but it is suspended by judicial decision.
^In case of a lethal anomaly or a severe brain abnormality, no limit is specified.
^Defined as 8 weeks from implantation, approximately 11 weeks from the last menstrual period. If the patient is a minor or an incompetent or incapacitated adult, abortion in case of rape is permitted in the first 14 weeks from implantation, approximately 17 weeks from the last menstrual period.[487]
^Permitted with no gestational limit if the fetus has a lethal anomaly.[487]
^abA judge may also remove the penalty for abortion on this ground in the first 3 months from conception.[496]
^The penal code says that abortion is permitted for "good medical reasons"[498] but is unclear whether it means only to save the woman's life or also to preserve her health. The UN source marks it as a permitted ground.
^Depending on the capacity at each level of hospital.[510][511][512]
^The law prohibits abortion in case of rape within marriage or under age 18,[517] but it is invalidated by judicial decision.[518]
^abThe 2014 Guidelines for Comprehensive Abortion Care says "In Zimbabwe termination of pregnancy may be permitted forHIV-positive women if they choose to do so."[519]
^abcdefgThis ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law, but the identical text in the law of the parent country is considered to include this ground in a ground for preserving physical or mental health.[422][423][424]
^abcThis ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is accepted as a generallegal principle.[61]
^Theparliament has proposed a law allowing abortion also in case of risk to health, rape and fetal impairment,[528] but it has not yet been approved.[529]
^This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law, but it is established by ajudicial decision in the parent country. A UN source states this it in unclear whether this judicial precedent also applies to the Cook Islands, but it lists this ground as permitted there.[530]
^abcdeAlthough illegal, the government does not prosecute abortions performed under rules similar to other countries, including on request.[532]
^Permitted up to 16 weeks of gestation if medical circumstances make the woman unfit to care for her child.[534]
^This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is considered to be included in the ground for preserving physical or mental health.[535][536]
^abcdeAlthough the law permits abortions on request, no medical providers in the territory perform them except to save the woman's life.[540][541]
^abcdefInAlderney andSark, this ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law.[542] Ajudicial decision on an identical law in the parent country clarified that the law always implicitly allowed abortion at least to save the woman's life, and the decision allowed it also to preserve her health.[368] It is unclear whether Alderney and Sark apply only the originallegal principle or also the judicial decision.
^abcdAlthough not allowed by Alderney law, abortions are provided in Alderney under the same conditions as in Guernsey, as health services in Alderney operate under Guernsey law.[544] To resolve the legal contradiction, in 2022 theStates of Alderney passed an abortion law identical to the one in Guernsey, and it awaits a regulation to establish the effective date.[545]
^abA law enacted by New Zealand for Niue in 1966 prohibited abortion done "unlawfully", without defining it,[549] but ajudicial decision applicable in New Zealand allowed abortion in case of risk to the woman's life or health, and a UN source states this judicial precedent probably applies to Niue as well.[550] In 2007, New Zealand repealed the sections of law that prohibited abortion in Niue,[551] but they remain in force in Niue[552] as legislation enacted by New Zealand after 1974 does not apply to Niue without its consent.[553]
^abcdefTheterritory's constitution prohibits abortion "except as provided by law", and the territory has no law about the subject.[554] A law from thepredecessor of the territory prohibited abortion done "unlawfully" without defining it, and although predecessor laws remain in force in the territory unless modified, a judicial decision ruled this abortion law invalid for being too vague.[555] As a result, although abortion remains prohibited in principle by the constitution, abortion providers cannot be prosecuted for it as there is no law specifying a penalty. Still, in practice, authorized medical providers in the territory perform abortions only to save the woman's life and possibly in case of rape.[556] In 1995, an opinion issued by theterritory's attorney general concluded thatU.S. judicial decisions allowing abortion on request also applied to the territory, but these decisions wereoverturned in 2022.[554]
^abcdThe penal code prohibits abortion except in case of risk to the woman's life or health.[558] In 1980, a decision by the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico expanded the health criteria to also include mental health, including emotional, psychological, family and age aspects, with no gestational limit. However, the decision still maintained the prohibition on abortion if done without any therapeutic consideration.[559][560]
^AppliesEnglish law in force on 1 January 2006 unless locally modified, in each part of the territory.[561]Tristan da Cunha explicitly applies the abortion law of theUnited Kingdom with minor modifications.[562]
^abcdeAlthough illegal, the government does not prosecute abortions performed under rules similar to other countries, including on request.[61]
^abThis ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law. The judicial handbook says that abortion is permitted for medical reasons but is unclear whether it means only to save the woman's life or also to preserve her health.[565]
^abThis ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law. Ajudicial decision on an identical law in the parent country clarified that the law always implicitly allowed abortion at least to save the woman's life, and the decision allowed it also to preserve her health.[368] It is unclear whether the territory applies only the originallegal principle or also the judicial decision.
^abAll states allow abortion to prevent the woman's imminent death, and some if the pregnancy is a less-immediate threat to their life. • Additional allowance forrisk to the woman's physical health: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. • Allowance forrisk to the woman's general health: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington. • Allowance forpregnancy due to rape or incest: Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Carolina, West Virginia, Utah, and Wyoming. • Allowance for lethalfetal abnormality: Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, South Carolina, West Virginia, Wyoming, and Utah. Note that these allowances may have a time limit, which may be as early as cardiac-cell activity (approximately 6 weeks LMP); others may have no limit. Different allowances may have different limits in the same state.
^Cardiac-cell activity is generally detectable in the 6th weekLMP. Allowance beyond this limit is made, at minimum, for an immediate threat to the woman's life. In general, states that permit limited elective abortion may allow abortion beyond that limit for some or all of the reasons listed above.
^Typically, fetal viability begins in the 23rd or 24th week LMP.
^The second trimester is variously defined as through 27th or 28th week LMP. In Massachusetts, the law allows elective abortion up to 24 weeks from implantation, which is approx. 27 weeks LMP.
^For example Luxembourg abortion law states: "Avant la fin de la 12e semaine de grossesse ou avant la fin de la 14e semaine d'aménorrhée ...", which translates to "Before the end of the 12th week of pregnancy or before the end of the 14th week ofamenorrhea".[234]
^Susheela, Signh; Darroch, Jacqueline E.; Ashford, Lori S.; Vlassoff, Michael (2009).Adding It Up: The Costs and Benefits of Investing in Family Planning and Newborn Health(PDF). New York:Guttmacher Institute andUnited Nations Population Fund. pp. 17, 19, 27.Some 215 million women in the developing world as a whole have an unmet need for modern contraceptives ... If the 215 million women with unmet need used modern family planning methods ... [that] would result in about 22 million fewer unplanned births; 25 million fewer abortions; and seven million fewer miscarriages....If women's contraceptive needs were addressed (and assuming no changes in abortion laws) ... the number of unsafe abortions would decline by 73% from 20 million to 5.5 million. A few of the findings in that report were subsequently changed, and are available at"Facts on Investing in Family Planning and Maternal and Newborn Health"(PDF).Guttmacher Institute. November 2010. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 24 March 2012.
^Joffe, Carole (3 April 2009). "Abortion and Medicine: A Sociopolitical History". In Maureen Paul; E. Steve Lichtenberg; Lynn Borgatta; David A. Grimes; Phillip G. Stubblefield; Mitchell D. Creinin (eds.).Management of Unintended and Abnormal Pregnancy: Comprehensive Abortion Care. Blackwell. pp. 1–9.doi:10.1002/9781444313031.ch1.ISBN978-1-4443-1303-1.
^abAvdeev, Alexandre; Blum, Alain; Troitskaya, Irina (1995). "The History of Abortion Statistics in Russia and the USSR from 1900 to 1991".Population: An English Selection.7:39–66.JSTOR2949057.
^"Eugenic Protection Law in Japan"(PDF). Institute of Population Problems, Ministry of Health and Welfare of Japan. 1960.Archived(PDF) from the original on 19 March 2022. Retrieved26 June 2022.
China, Population Policy Data Bank, Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, 2001. Archived fromthe original on 27 December 2005.
^"Lov om svangerskapsavbrudd (abortloven)" [Law on termination of pregnancy (abortion law)] (in Norwegian). Lovdata. Article 15. "[A]mending law of 16 June 1978 no. 66 from 1 January 1979 according to resolution of 1 December 1978."
^abPenal Code, Government of São Tomé and Príncipe, 2012. Book II, title I, chapter II(in Portuguese).
^Law of revision of the Penal Code, Gazette of the Republic of Mozambique, 31 December 2014. "The present law enters into force one hundred and eighty days after its publication."(in Portuguese)
^abcdeMexico decriminalizes abortion: what will happen now in the states of the country?, El País, 8 September 2021. "They will be able to, thus, continue sending to court the women who abort outside of the local norms, but the judicial process will not allow them to enter jail." "It is possible that there are still judges who dictate jail for some women, and this would force them to sue in local and federal processes first and then apply for anamparo before a district judge. This one would have to follow, finally, the judicial precedent."(in Spanish)
^abAntigua and Barbuda, Population Policy Data Bank, Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, 2001. Archived fromthe original on 27 December 2005.
^abAbortion law: a national perspective, Tom Gotsis and Laura Ismay, NSW Parliamentary Research Service, May 2017, pp. 13, 40. This government publication, reflecting laws up to 2017 (including the Termination of Pregnancy Law Reform Act 2017 in the Northern Territory), lists New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory as the subdivisions of Australia not allowing abortion on request. Since then, laws allowing abortion on request have entered into force in Queensland (2018), New South Wales (2019) and South Australia (2022). The abortion law in the Northern Territory was amended in 2021 but still requires approval by a medical professional based on the same criteria as in 2017, thus it is still not considered as allowing abortion on request.
^abAbortion is no longer a crime in Australia. But legal hurdles to access remain, The Conversation, 3 March 2021. "With the exception of the Northern Territory, where abortion remains a medical practitioner's decision regardless of the gestation, and the ACT, where no gestational limits apply, Australian jurisdictions now permit abortion on request up to varying points in a pregnancy."
^"Vyhláška ministerstva zdravotnictví České socialistické republiky, kterou se provádí zákon České národní rady č. 66/1986 Sb., o umělém přerušení těhotenství" [Decree of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Socialist Republic, which implements the Act of the Czech National Council No. 66/1986 Coll., On Abortion].Decree No. 75 of 7 November 1986(in Czech).Ministry of Health
^Dominica, Population Policy Data Bank, Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, 2001. Archived fromthe original on 27 December 2005.
^Medical abortion law, Islamic Parliament Research Center of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 25 Khordad 1384 (15 June 2005)(in Persian). Archived fromthe original on 1 November 2020.
^ab"Ruling 6/2013"(PDF) (in Divehi). Islamic Fiqh Academy, Ministry of Islamic Affairs of Maldives. 11 December 2013. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 2 June 2014.
^abcThe Supreme Court of Mexico decriminalizes abortion in the whole country, The New York Times, 6 September 2023. "Wednesday's ruling does not affect local laws, and abortion remains illegal in 20 of the 32 states of the country. But even in those states, now women may legally abort at federal hospitals and clinics. The ruling also prohibits personnel of these centers from being penalized for performing abortions."(in Spanish)
^"Ordin cu privire la efectuarea întreruperii voluntare a cursului sarcinii în condiții de siguranță" [Orden Regarding the Voluntary Termination of the Safe Course of Pregnancy].Order No. 647 of 29 September 2010(in Romanian).Ministry of Health of Moldova.
^Why Deadly Abortions Keep Killing Women in Pakistan, Pulitzer Center, 15 July 2021. "Because laws on abortion are vague, the decision to provide an abortion or not often comes down to a provider's personal or religious beliefs, which for many, makes the prospect unthinkable."
^Palestine: 'Marry-Your-Rapist' Law Repealed, Human Rights Watch, 10 May 2018. "In practice, authorities may allow abortions in the first four months of pregnancy in situations of rape or incest, or if the mother has a disability or her life is at risk. However, Sufan, the shelter director in Nablus, said, 'it is difficult, themufti [religious jurist], hospital, and court all have to agree to allow the abortion.' Salhieh, the chief prosecutor, said that prosecutors obtained permission for seven women to have abortions in 2017, all in cases in which the women alleged that the pregnancy was a result of rape or incest and they were in the early stages of pregnancy."
^Palestine's Abortion Problem, Foreign Policy, 4 December 2015. "Abortion, after all, is illegal under Palestinian law; while it is technically legal in order to protect the life of the mother, in practice, according to experts, it is impossible to get such a procedure. Especially for those ... who might want an abortion without the knowledge of their husbands."
^Law No. 3440, BACCN, 20 August 2008. Article 109.4(in Spanish).
^"Guía Técnica Nacional de Aborto Terapéutico" [National Technical Guide - Therapeutic Abortion (modified 2015)](PDF).Regional Directorate of Health of Cusco, Peru (in Spanish). 2014.Archived(PDF) from the original on 19 November 2021.
^abThe Revised Penal Code, Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines, 8 December 1930. Articles 256–259.
^Offences Against the Person ActArchived 17 October 2021 at theWayback Machine, Law Commission of the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs of Saint Kitts and Nevis, revised edition as of 31 December 2017. Sections 53–54.
^Dr. Katarina Sedlecki (30 September 2013)."НАЦИОНАЛНИ ВОДИЧ ДОБРЕ КЛИНИЧКЕ ПРАКСЕ ЗА БЕЗБЕДНИ ПРЕКИД ТРУДНОЋЕ" [NATIONAL GOOD CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDE FOR SAFE TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY](PDF).Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Serbia (in Serbian). Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia.Archived(PDF) from the original on 23 April 2016. pdf download
^Understanding Abortion Access in Africa, Catholics for Choice, 19 February 2014. "Sierra Leone is one of several Commonwealth countries to model its abortion policy after England's 1938Rex v. Bourne decision, which established necessity – that is, threats to a woman's mental and physical health – as grounds for legal abortion."
^"Vyhláška Ministerstva zdravotníctva Slovenskej socialistickej republiky, ktorou sa vykonáva zákon Slovenskej národnej rady č.73/1986 Zb. o umelom prerušení tehotenstva" [Decree of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Socialist Republic, which implements the Act of the Slovak National Council No. 73/1986 Coll. on abortion].Decree No. 74 of 5 November 1986(in Slovak). Ministry of Health.
^Penal Code, National Directorate of Prints and Official Publications, updated on 9 July 2020(in Spanish).
^"Об утверждении стандартов искусственногопрерывания беременности" [On approval of standards for artificialtermination of pregnancy].Law No. 312 of 10 September 2013(in Russian). Archived fromthe original on 21 November 2021.
^Report to His Majesty the King from the Minister Keeper of the Seals (Zanardelli) at the hearing of 30 June 1889 for the approval of the final text of the penal code, pp. 145–146. "On the agreed proposal of the parliamentary commissions, the provision that was read in the bill, according to which it was declared 'not punishable the doctor or surgeon, when he justifies having acted in order to save the woman's life, endangered by the pregnancy or by childbirth', was deleted"; "The vote expressed in agreement in parliament led me to the aforesaid deletion, not to exclude the application of the concept that was expressed there, but because it was superfluous and inappropriate to declare it, providing if needed article 49 number 3, the application of which would be only, and without reason, restricted."(in Italian)
^Criminal abortion in the Italian penal code, Pasquale Tuozzi, Filippo Serafini Legal Archive, 1902, vol. 10, no. 3, p. 29. "However, if you want to search for a provision in our code that covers the surgeon, in addition to article 45, in which the aforesaid reason is rooted, there is also number 3 of article 49, where it is declared the nonresponsibility of one who acts compelled by the need to save himself or others from a serious and imminent danger to the person, to which he did not voluntarily give cause, and which he could not otherwise avoid. Well, these extremes of the state of necessity all apply in the case of the surgeon, who, put in the harsh condition, not created by him, extinguishes an imperfect and perhaps uncertain existence, to save a certain and real existence, which is that of the woman in childbirth."(in Italian)
^Trần Minh Nghĩa (24 August 2018)."HƯỚNG DÉN QUỐC GIA" [NATIONAL GUIDELINES](PDF).Ministry of Health - Government of Vietnam (in Vietnamese).Archived(PDF) from the original on 23 November 2021.
^Cook Islands, Population Policy Data Bank, Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations. Archived fromthe original on 14 May 2011.
^Niue, Population Policy Data Bank, Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations. Archived fromthe original on 11 January 2005.
^Niue Act 1966, New Zealand Government, reprint as of 1 March 2017.
^"INTERRUPÇÃO DA GRAVIDEZ" [PREGNANCY INTERRUPTION].Supremo Tribunal Federal - Justice - Brazil (in Portuguese). 26 April 2013.Archived from the original on 27 June 2014.
^"P. and S. v. Poland"(PDF).Center for Reproductive Rights. 11 April 2013.Archived(PDF) from the original on 25 May 2013.
Appel, Jacob M. (August 2005). "Judicial diagnosis 'conscience' vs. care how refusal clauses are reshaping the rights revolution".Medicine and Health.88 (8):279–281.PMID16273974.
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Ohio[eb][472][473]
Oklahoma[474][475]
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina[476][477][478]
South Dakota[479]
Tennessee[480]
Texas[481][482]
Utah[483][484][485]
Vermont[eb]
Virginia
Washington[486]
West Virginia[487]
Wisconsin[488][489][490]
Wyoming[491][492][493]
Uruguay[494][495]
Uzbekistan[497]
Vanuatu[498]
Vatican City
Venezuela[506][507]
Vietnam[508][509]
Yemen[513]
Zambia[514]
Zimbabwe[515][516]
American Samoa[521]
Anguilla[522]
Aruba[523]
Bermuda[524]
British Virgin Islands[525]
Cayman Islands[526]
Cook Islands[527][fe]
Curaçao[531]
Falkland Islands[533]
Faroe Islands[534]
Gibraltar[535]
Greenland[537]
Guam[538][539]
Alderney[542][fm]
Guernsey[543]
Sark[542]
Isle of Man[546]
Jersey[547]
Montserrat[548]
Niue
Northern Mariana Islands[554]
Pitcairn Islands[fp]
Puerto Rico[558]
Sint Maarten[563]
Tokelau[564]
Turks and Caicos Islands[566]
United States Virgin Islands[567]
Canada
Canada
Council of Europe
United Nations
