Abortion Legislation in Europe
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ABORTION LEGISLATION IN EUROPE (UPDATED January 2009) IPPF EUROPEAN NETWORK Rue Royale 146 1000 Brussels Belgium Email: [email protected] Countries AUSTRIA ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA .............................................................................................................................................. 12 BULGARIA .................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 CYPRUS.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 CZECH REPUBLIC ..................................................................................................................................................................... 18 DENMARK ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 FINLAND ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 FRANCE.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 28 GEORGIA....................................................................................................................................................................................... 30 GERMANY ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 32 GREECE .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 34 HUNGARY ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 35 ICELAND........................................................................................................................................................................................ 37 IRELAND ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 39 ISRAEL ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 41 ITALY .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 43 KAZAKHKSTAN .......................................................................................................................................................................... 45 KYRGYZSTAN.............................................................................................................................................................................. 47 LATVIA ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 49 LITHUANIA.................................................................................................................................................................................. 51 LUXEMBOURG ............................................................................................................................................................................ 53 MACEDONIA (FYR).................................................................................................................................................................. 55 MOLDOVA ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 58 NORWAY ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 61 POLAND ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 63 PORTUGAL ................................................................................................................................................................................... 65 ROMANIA...................................................................................................................................................................................... 67 RUSSIAN FEDERATION......................................................................................................................................................... 69 SLOVAK REPUBLIC.................................................................................................................................................................. 71 SPAIN ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 73 SWEDEN ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 76 SWITZERLAND........................................................................................................................................................................... 78 TAJIKISTAN ................................................................................................................................................................................ 80 TURKEY.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 82 UNITED KINGDOM................................................................................................................................................................... 84 UZBEKISTAN............................................................................................................................................................................... 86 GLOSSARY OF TERMS............................................................................................................................................................ 88 January 2009 2 Notes 1) The document is in its eighth edition. The previous one was compiled in February 2004. It has been updated following information received from IPPF European Network Member Associations (MAs) 2) In DISPARITY IN THE APPLICATION OF THE LAW, and in COMMENTS the text is directly from the Member Associations (MAs). 3) The exchange rate for the conversion into US$ was calculated at the time of the revision. Acknowledgements IPPF European Network would like to thank all its Member Associations for their invaluable contributions to this update. January 2009 3 ALBANIA Albanian Center for Population and Development [email protected] LEGISLATION Abortion Law Nr 8045, 7 December 1995, “on the interruption of pregnancy” GROUNDS/GESTATIONAL LIMITS Up to 12 weeks: On request, in case a woman considers that a pregnancy causes psychological and social problems Up to 22 weeks: For social reasons Rape or other sexual crime No Limit: Severe (incurable) malformation of the fetus If continuing the pregnancy and/or childbirth would put the woman’s life or health at risk REGULATIONS/CONDITIONS Abortion should be performed by a physician-specialist/obstetrician-gynaecologist, and can take place in public and private health institutions. Pre- and post-abortion counselling is obliged. The physician performing the abortion is obliged to inform women of family planning services and to advise them about contraceptive methods. In case a woman, after the pre-abortion counselling, repeals the request, she is asked by the physician to confirm her request in writing. This confirmation should be done at least 7 days after her first request. If the time span of 7 days surpasses the legal limits, the physician may decide to reduce it to 2 days. Unmarried minors up to 16 need the consent of the person exercising parental authority or legal protection. The request for an abortion should not be made in their presence. A health commission consisting of three physicians decides, after examination and consultation, to allow for an abortion on medical grounds (thus no limit as mentioned above). An abortion for social reasons (up to 22nd week) needs the approval of a commission of three specialists (physician, social worker and lawyer). January 2009 4 METHODS Types of abortion methods available in country are: Vacuum aspiration (electric or manual) Dilatation and Curettage