Abortion in Bhutan

Abortion in Bhutan is only legal when the abortion is a result of rape, incest, to preserve the woman's mental health, or to save her life.^[1] Despite this, the United Nations report on abortion notes that the exact status of the country's abortion law is uncertain: "Because the state religion of Bhutan is Buddhism, which disapproves of abortion, it is probable that the procedure is allowed only to save the life of the pregnant woman."^[2]

Impact

Since abortions are difficult for women to obtain in Bhutan, they often cross the border into India, where they get abortions in unsafe conditions.^[1] The danger and resulting fatalities has led many people to push for the legalization and decriminalization of abortion for Bhutanese women.^[3]

See also

• Health in Bhutan
• Women in Bhutan