Abortion law by country

Abortion laws vary widely among countries and territories, and have changed over time. Such laws range from abortion 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 have gestational 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 rape, incest, or socioeconomic reasons, and more for fetal impairment or risk to the woman's health or life. As of 2022, 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 in its constitution,^[1] while Yugoslavia implicitly inscribed abortion rights in its constitution in 1974.^[2]

Legality of abortion by country, state or territory

Legal on request:
	No gestational limit
	Gestational limit after the first 17 weeks
	Gestational limit in the first 17 weeks
	Unclear gestational limit
	Gestational limit in the first 6 weeks
Legally restricted to cases of:
	Risk to woman's life, to her health*, rape*, fetal impairment*, or socioeconomic factors
	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 or judicial decisions. This map shows their combined effect as implemented by the authorities.

Abortion continues to be a controversial subject in many societies on religious, 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 the Guttmacher Institute and the World 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 modern contraceptives 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]

History

Main articles: History of abortion and History of abortion law debate

Abortion has existed since ancient times, with natural abortifacients 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 in China, and 1550 BC in Egypt.^[6] Early texts contain little mention of abortion or abortion law. When it does appear, it is entailed in concerns about male property 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 of common law in England and the United States, abortion was illegal anytime after quickening—when the movements of the fetus could first be felt by the woman. Under the born alive rule, the fetus was not considered a "reasonable being" in rerum natura; and abortion was not treated as murder 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 Canadian pro-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 the Quebec 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 in solitary 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 and liberalization 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. Under Vladimir Lenin, the Soviet Union became the first modern state in legalizing abortions on request—the law was first introduced in the Russian SFSR in 1920, in the Ukrainian SSR in July 1921, and then in the whole country.^[7][8] The Bolsheviks 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 the tsarist ban on abortion, which treated the practice as premeditated murder. However, abortion had been practiced by Russian women for decades and its incidence skyrocketed further as a result of the Russian 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 in World War I and the Russian 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). In Japan, 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 in Yugoslavia (on a limited basis^[which?]), and again in 1955 in the Soviet Union on request. Some Soviet allies (Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Romania) legalized abortion in the late 1950s under pressure from the Soviets.^{[how?][14][additional citation(s) needed]}

In the United Kingdom, the Abortion Act of 1967 clarified and prescribed abortions as legal up to 28 weeks (later reduced to 24 weeks). Other countries soon followed, including Canada (1969), the United States (1973 in most states, pursuant to Roe v. Wade—the U.S. Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion nationwide), Tunisia and Denmark (1973), Austria (1974), France and Sweden (1975), New Zealand (1977), Italy (1978), the Netherlands (1984), and Belgium (1990). However, these countries vary greatly in the circumstances under which abortion was to be permitted. In 1975, the West German Supreme Court struck down a law legalizing abortion, holding that they contradict the constitution's human rights guarantees. In 1976, a law was adopted which enabled abortions up to 12 weeks. After Germany's reunification, despite the legal status of abortion in former East Germany, a compromise was reached which deemed most abortions up to 12 weeks legal, but this law was struck down by the Federal Constitutional Court and amended to only remove the punishment in such cases, without any statement to legality. In jurisdictions governed under sharia law, abortion after the 120th day from conception (19 weeks from LMP) is illegal, especially for those who follow the recommendations of the Hanafi legal school, while most jurists of the Maliki legal school "believe that ensoulment occurs at the moment of conception, 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]

Timeline of abortion on request

See also: Timeline of reproductive rights legislation

The table below lists in chronological order the United Nations member states that have legalized abortion on request in at least some initial part of the pregnancy, or that have fully decriminalized abortion. As of 2024, 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., former Soviet 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 whole national territory (e.g., Germany, Vietnam). Similarly, countries where not all subnational jurisdictions have legalized abortion on request are not included, leading to the exclusion of Australia, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Countries where abortion on request was once legalized nationwide but has since been prohibited in at least part of the country, such as the United States and Poland, are also excluded. Countries are counted even if they were not yet independent at the time. The year refers to when the relevant law or judicial decision came into force, which may be different from the year when it was approved.

Year legalized	Countries	CpY	CC
1955	( Armenia  Azerbaijan  Belarus  Estonia  Georgia  Kazakhstan  Kyrgyzstan  Latvia  Lithuania  Moldova  Russia  Tajikistan  Turkmenistan  Ukraine  Uzbekistan as part of the Soviet Union)	15	15
1957	China[16][a][b] ( Czech Republic  Slovakia as part of Czechoslovakia)[c]	3	18
1965	Cuba	1	19
1973	Denmark  Tunisia[22]	2	21
1974	Singapore  Sweden	2	23
1975	Austria  France[d]  Vietnam[e]	3	26
1977	( Bosnia and Herzegovina  Croatia  Montenegro  North Macedonia  Serbia  Slovenia as part of Yugoslavia)	6	32
1978	Italy  Luxembourg	2	34
1979	Norway[f][g]	1	35
1983	Turkey	1	36
1984	Netherlands[h]	1	37
1986	Cape Verde  Greece	2	39
1988	Canada	1	40
1989	Mongolia[29]	1	41
1990	Belgium  Bulgaria  Romania	3	44
1992	Germany[i]	1	45
1993	Guinea-Bissau[30][31]	1	46
1995	Guyana	1	47
1996	Albania[j]	1	48
1997	Cambodia  South Africa	2	50
2002	Nepal  Switzerland	2	52
2007	Portugal	1	53
2010	Spain	1	54
2012	São Tomé and Príncipe[33]  Uruguay	2	56
2015	Mozambique[k]	1	57
2018	Cyprus	1	58
2019	Iceland  Ireland[l]	2	60
2020	New Zealand	1	61
2021	Argentina[m]  South Korea  Thailand	3	64
2022	Colombia  San Marino	2	66
2023	Finland[n]	1	67

International law

There are no international or multinational treaties that deal directly with abortion but human rights law and international criminal law touch on the issues.

The Nuremberg Military Tribunal decided the case of United States v Greifelt and Others (1948) on the basis that abortion was a crime within its jurisdiction according to the law defining crimes against humanity and thus within its definition of murder and extermination.^[37]

The Catholic Church remains highly influential in Latin America, and opposes the legalisation of abortion.^[38] The American Convention on Human Rights, which in 2013 had 23 Latin American parties, declares human life as commencing with conception. In Latin America, abortion on request is only legal in Cuba (1965), Uruguay (2012),^[39] Argentina (2021),^[36] Colombia (2022)^[40] and in parts of Mexico.^[41][42] Abortions are completely banned in the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, and only allowed in certain restricted circumstances in most other Latin American nations.^[38]

In the 2010 case of A, B and C v Ireland, the European Court of Human Rights found that the European Convention on Human Rights did not include a right to an abortion.

In 2005, the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UN HRC) ordered Peru to compensate a woman (known as K.L.) for denying her a medically indicated abortion; this was the first time a United Nations Committee had held any country accountable for not ensuring access to safe, legal abortion, and the first time the committee affirmed that abortion is a human right.^[43] K.L. received the compensation in 2016.^[43] In the 2016 case of Mellet v Ireland, the UN HRC found Ireland's abortion laws violated the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights because Irish law banned abortion in cases of fatal fetal abnormalities.

National laws

While abortions are legal at least under certain conditions in almost all countries, these conditions vary widely. According to a United 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 have gestational 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, a Care Quality Commission's report in 2012 found that several NHS 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 certain gestational age. If this limit is known and does not vary by subdivision, it is shown instead of "permitted".
permitted, with complex legality or practice
varies by subdivision
prohibited, with complex legality or practice
prohibited
unknown or unclear

Countries

The table below summarizes the legal grounds for abortion in all United Nations member states and United Nations General Assembly observer states and some countries with limited recognition. This table is mostly based on data compiled by the United Nations up to 2019,^[46] with some updates, additions and clarifications citing other sources.

Legal grounds on which abortion is permitted in independent countries

Country	Risk to life	Risk to health	Rape	Fetal impairment	Economic or social	On request
Abkhazia[47]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Afghanistan	permitted[o]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited[o]	prohibited[o]	prohibited
Albania[32]	22 weeks	22 weeks	22 weeks	no limit	22 weeks	12 weeks
Algeria[54]	permitted	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Andorra	prohibited[p]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Angola[q]	permitted	permitted	16 weeks	permitted	prohibited	prohibited
Antigua and Barbuda[59]	permitted[r]	prohibited[s]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Argentina[36][62]	permitted	permitted	permitted	14 weeks	permitted	14 weeks
Armenia[63]	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	22 weeks	12 weeks
Australia [subdivisions]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	varies[t]
Australian Capital Territory[66][67]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit
Christmas Island[u]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	23 weeks
Cocos Islands[v]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	23 weeks
Jervis Bay Territory[w]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit
New South Wales[71]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	22 weeks
Norfolk Island[x]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit
Northern Territory[75]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	prohibited[y]
Queensland[76]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	22 weeks
South Australia[77]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	22 weeks and 6 days
Tasmania[78]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	16 weeks
Victoria[79]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	24 weeks
Western Australia[80]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	23 weeks
Austria[81]	no limit	no limit	3 months[z]	no limit	3 months[z]	3 months[z]
Azerbaijan[82]	no limit	no limit	permitted	permitted	22 weeks	12 weeks
Bahamas[83]	permitted	permitted[aa]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Bahrain	permitted	prohibited[ab]	prohibited[ab]	prohibited[ab]	prohibited[ab]	prohibited[ab]
Bangladesh	no limit	prohibited[ac]	prohibited[ac]	prohibited[ac]	prohibited[ac]	prohibited[ac]
Barbados[86]	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	no limit	12 weeks	prohibited
Belarus[ad]	no limit	no limit	22 weeks	no limit	22 weeks	12 weeks
Belgium[90]	no limit	no limit	14 weeks[ae]	no limit	14 weeks[ae]	14 weeks[ae]
Belize[92]	no limit	no limit	prohibited	no limit	permitted	prohibited
Benin[93]	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	12 weeks	prohibited
Bhutan[af]	180 days	180 days[ag]	180 days	180 days[ag]	prohibited	prohibited
Bolivia	22 weeks	22 weeks	22 weeks	22 weeks[ah]	prohibited	prohibited
Bosnia and Herzegovina [subdivisions]	no limit	no limit	permitted	permitted	permitted	10 weeks
Brčko District[ai]	no limit	no limit	20 weeks	20 weeks	10 weeks	10 weeks
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina[ai]	no limit	no limit	20 weeks	20 weeks	10 weeks	10 weeks
Republika Srpska[99]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	10 weeks
Botswana[100]	16 weeks	16 weeks	16 weeks	16 weeks	prohibited	prohibited
Brazil[101][102]	no limit	prohibited	no limit	prohibited[aj]	prohibited	prohibited
Brunei[105]	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Bulgaria[106]	no limit	20 weeks	permitted	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Burkina Faso[107]	no limit	no limit	14 weeks	no limit	prohibited	prohibited
Burundi	permitted	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited[ak]	prohibited
Cambodia[109]	no limit	12 weeks	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Cameroon[110]	permitted	28 weeks	28 weeks	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Canada[al]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit
Cape Verde[114]	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	permitted	12 weeks	12 weeks
Central African Republic	8 weeks	prohibited[am]	8 weeks	8 weeks	prohibited	prohibited
Chad[116][117]	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	prohibited	prohibited
Chile[118]	no limit	prohibited	12 weeks[an]	permitted	prohibited	prohibited
China [subdivisions]	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	varies[ao]	varies[ap]
Mainland China[119][120][b]	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted
Hong Kong[121]	no limit	24 weeks	24 weeks	24 weeks	24 weeks	prohibited
Macau[122]	no limit	no limit	24 weeks	24 weeks	prohibited	prohibited
Colombia	no limit[aq]	no limit[aq]	no limit[aq]	no limit[aq]	24 weeks[aq]	24 weeks[aq]
Comoros[125]	permitted	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Congo	permitted[ar]	prohibited[ar]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Costa Rica	permitted	permitted	prohibited[as]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Croatia[129]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	10 weeks	10 weeks
Cuba[130][131]	no limit	22 weeks	no limit	35 weeks	22 weeks	12 weeks
Cyprus[132]	permitted	permitted	19 weeks	permitted	12 weeks	12 weeks
Czech Republic[133][134]	no limit	permitted[at]	12 weeks	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Democratic Republic of the Congo	permitted[au]	permitted[av]	permitted[av]	permitted[av]	prohibited	prohibited
Denmark[138][139]	no limit	no limit	viability	no limit	viability	18 weeks[aw]
Djibouti[140][141][142]	permitted	permitted[aa]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Dominica[143]	permitted	prohibited[ax]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Dominican Republic[145]	prohibited[ay]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
East Timor[az]	no limit	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Ecuador	permitted	permitted	permitted[ba]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Egypt[153][154]	permitted	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
El Salvador[155]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Equatorial Guinea[156]	12 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks	prohibited	prohibited
Eritrea[157]	permitted	permitted	permitted	prohibited[bb]	prohibited[bb]	prohibited[bb]
Estonia[158]	22 weeks	22 weeks	12 weeks[bc]	22 weeks	12 weeks[bc]	12 weeks[bc]
Eswatini[159]	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	prohibited	prohibited
Ethiopia[160][161][162]	28 weeks	28 weeks	28 weeks	28 weeks	prohibited[bd]	prohibited
Fiji[163]	no limit	no limit	20 weeks	no limit	prohibited	prohibited
Finland[n][165]	no limit	no limit	20 weeks	24 weeks	20 weeks	12 weeks
France[166][be]	no limit	no limit	16 weeks[bf]	no limit	16 weeks[bf]	16 weeks[bf]
Gabon[169]	10 weeks	prohibited[bg]	10 weeks	10 weeks	prohibited	prohibited
Gambia[170][171][172]	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	permitted	prohibited	prohibited
Georgia[173][174]	22 weeks	22 weeks	22 weeks	22 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks
Germany	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks[bh]	12 weeks[bh]	12 weeks[bh]
Ghana	28 weeks	28 weeks	28 weeks	28 weeks	prohibited	prohibited
Greece[177]	no limit	no limit	19 weeks	24 weeks	12 weeks[bi]	12 weeks[bi]
Grenada[178]	permitted	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Guatemala[179][180]	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Guinea	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	prohibited	prohibited
Guinea-Bissau[30][181]	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted
Guyana[182]	no limit	no limit	16 weeks	16 weeks	8 weeks[bj]	8 weeks[bj]
Haiti[bk]	permitted[bl]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Honduras[185]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Hungary	no limit	12 weeks[bm]	12 weeks[bm]	20 weeks[bn]	12 weeks[bm]	prohibited
Iceland[187]	no limit	22 weeks	22 weeks	no limit	22 weeks	22 weeks
India[188][189]	no limit	24 weeks	24 weeks	24 weeks[bo]	24 weeks[bp]	prohibited
Indonesia[190][191]	no limit	no limit	14 weeks	no limit	prohibited	prohibited
Iran[192][193][194]	4 months	4 months	prohibited[bq]	4 months	prohibited	prohibited
Iraq	permitted[br]	prohibited[bs]	prohibited	prohibited[bs]	prohibited	prohibited
Ireland[200]	viability[bt]	viability[bt]	12 weeks	permitted	12 weeks	12 weeks
Israel	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted[bu]	prohibited[bu]
Italy[202]	no limit	viability	90 days	90 days	90 days	90 days
Ivory Coast	permitted	prohibited[bv]	permitted	prohibited[bv]	prohibited	prohibited
Jamaica	permitted[bw]	permitted[bx]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Japan[209]	22 weeks	22 weeks	22 weeks	prohibited	22 weeks	prohibited
Jordan[210]	permitted	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Kazakhstan[211][212]	no limit	no limit	22 weeks	no limit	22 weeks	12 weeks
Kenya[213][214]	permitted	permitted	permitted[by]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Kiribati[217]	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Kosovo[218]	no limit	no limit	22 weeks	no limit	10 weeks	10 weeks
Kuwait[219]	permitted	4 months	prohibited	4 months	prohibited	prohibited
Kyrgyzstan[220][221]	no limit	no limit	22 weeks	22 weeks	22 weeks	12 weeks
Laos	permitted[bz]	28 weeks[bz]	28 weeks[bz]	28 weeks[bz]	28 weeks[bz]	prohibited[bz]
Latvia[225][226]	permitted	24 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks
Lebanon[227]	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Lesotho[228]	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	prohibited	prohibited
Liberia[229]	24 weeks	24 weeks	24 weeks	24 weeks	prohibited	prohibited
Libya[230][231]	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Liechtenstein[232]	permitted	permitted	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Lithuania[233]	no limit	no limit	12 weeks[ca]	no limit	12 weeks[ca]	12 weeks[ca]
Luxembourg[234]	no limit	no limit	14 weeks	no limit	14 weeks	14 weeks
Madagascar	prohibited[cb]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Malawi[238]	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Malaysia[239]	22 weeks	22 weeks	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Maldives[cc]	no limit	prohibited	120 days	120 days[cd]	prohibited	prohibited
Mali[244][245]	permitted	permitted[aa]	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Malta[246]	viability	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Marshall Islands	permitted[bl]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Mauritania	permitted[ce]	prohibited[ce]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Mauritius[251]	no limit	no limit	14 weeks	no limit	prohibited	prohibited
Mexico [subdivisions]	varies[cf]	varies[cg]	permitted[ch]	varies[cg]	varies[cg]	varies[cg]
Aguascalientes[256]	6 weeks	6 weeks	no limit	no limit	6 weeks	6 weeks
Baja California[257]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Baja California Sur[258]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Campeche[259]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	12 weeks
Chiapas[260]	no limit	12 weeks	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Chihuahua[261]	no limit	no limit	90 days[ch]	permitted[ci]	permitted[ci]	permitted[ci]
Coahuila[263]	no limit	no limit	12 weeks[ch]	no limit	permitted[cj]	permitted[cj]
Colima[264]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Durango[265]	no limit	prohibited[cg]	no limit	prohibited[cg]	prohibited[cg]	prohibited[cg]
Guanajuato[266]	prohibited[cg]	prohibited[cg]	no limit	prohibited[cg]	prohibited[cg]	prohibited[cg]
Guerrero[267]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Hidalgo[268]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Jalisco[269]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Mexico City[270]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Mexico State[271]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Michoacán[272]	no limit	permitted	no limit	permitted	no limit	12 weeks
Morelos[273]	no limit	permitted[ck]	no limit	no limit	permitted[ck]	permitted[ck]
Nayarit[275]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Nuevo León[276]	no limit	no limit	no limit	prohibited[cg]	prohibited[cg]	prohibited[cg]
Oaxaca[277]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Puebla[278]	no limit	12 weeks	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Querétaro[279]	prohibited[cg]	prohibited[cg]	no limit	prohibited[cg]	prohibited[cg]	prohibited[cg]
Quintana Roo[280]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
San Luis Potosí[281]	12 weeks	12 weeks	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks
Sinaloa[282]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	13 weeks	13 weeks
Sonora[283]	no limit	prohibited[cg]	no limit	prohibited[cg]	prohibited[cg]	prohibited[cg]
Tabasco[284]	no limit	12 weeks	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks
Tamaulipas[285]	no limit	no limit	no limit	prohibited[cg]	prohibited[cg]	prohibited[cg]
Tlaxcala[286]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	prohibited[cg]	prohibited[cg]
Veracruz[287]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Yucatán[288]	no limit	12 weeks	no limit	no limit	no limit	12 weeks
Zacatecas[289]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Micronesia	permitted[bl]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Moldova[290]	21 weeks	21 weeks	21 weeks	21 weeks	21 weeks	12 weeks[cl]
Monaco[291]	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	no limit	prohibited	prohibited
Mongolia	23 weeks	23 weeks	permitted	permitted	14 weeks	14 weeks
Montenegro[292]	32 weeks	32 weeks	20 weeks	20 weeks	10 weeks	10 weeks
Morocco[cm]	no limit	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Mozambique	no limit	no limit	16 weeks	24 weeks[cn]	12 weeks	12 weeks
Myanmar[298][299]	no limit	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Namibia	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	prohibited	prohibited
Nauru[300]	no limit	no limit	20 weeks	20 weeks	prohibited	prohibited
Nepal[301][302]	28 weeks	28 weeks	18 weeks	28 weeks	12 weeks[co]	12 weeks[co]
Netherlands[cp]	no limit	no limit	24 weeks	no limit	24 weeks	24 weeks
New Zealand[303]	no limit	no limit	permitted	permitted	permitted	20 weeks
Nicaragua	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Niger	permitted	permitted	prohibited	permitted	prohibited	prohibited
Nigeria [subdivisions]	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Abia	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Adamawa	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Akwa Ibom	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Anambra	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Bauchi	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Bayelsa	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Benue	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Borno	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Cross River	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Delta	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Ebonyi	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Edo	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Ekiti	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Enugu	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Federal Capital Territory	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Gombe	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Imo	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Jigawa	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Kaduna	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Kano	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Katsina	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Kebbi	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Kogi	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Kwara	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Lagos	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Nasarawa	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Niger	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Ogun	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Ondo	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Osun	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Oyo	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Plateau	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Rivers	permitted	prohibited[cq]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Sokoto	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Taraba	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Yobe	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Zamfara	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Northern Cyprus[306]	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	10 weeks
North Korea	permitted[cr]	permitted[cr]	unclear[cr]	permitted[cr]	unclear[cr]	unclear[cr]
North Macedonia	no limit	no limit	22 weeks[cs]	22 weeks[cs]	22 weeks[cs]	12 weeks
Norway[f][315]	no limit	no limit	22 weeks	22 weeks	22 weeks	18 weeks
Oman	permitted[ct]	permitted[ct]	prohibited	120 days[ct]	prohibited	prohibited
Pakistan[318][319]	no limit	organ formation[cu]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Palau	permitted[cv]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Palestine	permitted[cw]	prohibited[cw]	prohibited[cw]	prohibited[cw]	prohibited	prohibited
Panama[328][329]	no limit	prohibited	2 months	24 weeks	prohibited	prohibited
Papua New Guinea[330]	permitted	prohibited[cx]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Paraguay[334]	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Peru[335]	22 weeks	22 weeks	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Philippines[336]	prohibited[cy]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Poland[339]	no limit	no limit	13 weeks	prohibited[cz]	prohibited[da]	prohibited
Portugal[342]	no limit	no limit	16 weeks	24 weeks	10 weeks	10 weeks
Qatar[343][344]	no limit	4 months	prohibited	4 months	prohibited	prohibited
Romania[345]	no limit	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	14 weeks
Russia[346][347][348]	permitted	permitted	22 weeks	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Rwanda[349]	no limit	no limit	22 weeks	no limit	prohibited	prohibited
Saint Kitts and Nevis	permitted	permitted[db]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Saint Lucia[352]	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines[353]	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	prohibited
Samoa[354]	20 weeks	20 weeks	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
San Marino[355]	viability[dc]	viability	viability	12 weeks[dd]	12 weeks	12 weeks
São Tomé and Príncipe[33]	no limit	no limit	no limit	16 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks
Saudi Arabia[356]	no limit	4 months	40 days[de]	40 days[de]	prohibited	prohibited
Senegal	permitted[df]	prohibited[df]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Serbia[363][364]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	10 weeks	10 weeks
Seychelles	12 weeks[dg]	12 weeks[dg]	12 weeks[dg]	12 weeks[dg]	prohibited	prohibited
Sierra Leone	permitted[dh]	permitted[dh]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Singapore[374]	no limit	no limit	24 weeks	24 weeks	24 weeks	24 weeks
Slovakia[375][376]	no limit	permitted[di]	12 weeks	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks
Slovenia[377]	no limit	no limit	10 weeks	10 weeks	10 weeks	10 weeks
Solomon Islands[378]	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Somalia[379][380][dj]	permitted[dk]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
South Africa	no limit	20 weeks	20 weeks	no limit	20 weeks	12 weeks
South Korea[dl]	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted[dm]	permitted[dm]
South Ossetia[386]	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	22 weeks	12 weeks
South Sudan[387]	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Spain[388]	22 weeks	22 weeks	14 weeks	22 weeks[dn]	14 weeks	14 weeks
Sri Lanka[389]	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Sudan[390]	no limit	prohibited	90 days[do]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Suriname	permitted[dp]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Sweden[392]	no limit	no limit	18 weeks	18 weeks	18 weeks	18 weeks
Switzerland[393]	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks
Syria[394]	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Taiwan[395][396]	no limit	no limit	24 weeks	no limit	24 weeks	prohibited
Tajikistan[397]	permitted	22 weeks	22 weeks	22 weeks	22 weeks	12 weeks
Tanzania[dq]	no limit	permitted[dr]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Thailand[401][402]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	20 weeks	20 weeks
Togo[403]	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	prohibited	prohibited
Tonga	permitted[ds]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Transnistria[406][407]	no limit	no limit	22 weeks	no limit	22 weeks	12 weeks
Trinidad and Tobago	permitted[dt]	permitted[dt]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Tunisia[22]	no limit	no limit	3 months	no limit	3 months	3 months
Turkey[411][412][413]	no limit	10 weeks	20 weeks	no limit	10 weeks	10 weeks
Turkmenistan[414]	no limit	no limit	permitted	permitted	22 weeks	5 weeks
Tuvalu[415]	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Uganda	28 weeks	28 weeks	28 weeks	28 weeks	prohibited	prohibited
Ukraine[416]	22 weeks	22 weeks	22 weeks	22 weeks	12 weeks[du]	12 weeks[du]
United Arab Emirates[419][420]	no limit	120 days[dv]	120 days	no limit	prohibited[dv]	prohibited[dv]
United Kingdom [subdivisions]	no limit	no limit	permitted[dw]	no limit	24 weeks[dw]	varies[dx]
England[427]	no limit	no limit	permitted[dw]	no limit	24 weeks[dw]	prohibited
Northern Ireland[426]	no limit	no limit	permitted[dw]	no limit	24 weeks[dw]	12 weeks
Scotland[427]	no limit	no limit	permitted[dw]	no limit	24 weeks[dw]	prohibited
Wales[427]	no limit	no limit	permitted[dw]	no limit	24 weeks[dw]	prohibited
United States[428] [subdivisions]	no limit	varies[dy]	varies[dy]	varies[dy]	varies[dy]	varies[dy]
Alabama[429]	no limit	no limit	prohibited	prohibited[dz]	prohibited	prohibited
Alaska	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit
Arizona[ea][431][432][433]	no limit	no limit	viability[eb]	viability[eb]	viability[eb]	viability[eb]
Arkansas[434][435]	no limit	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
California[ea]	no limit	no limit	viability	viability	viability	viability
Colorado[ea]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit
Connecticut	no limit	no limit	viability	viability	viability	viability
Delaware	no limit	no limit	viability	no limit	viability	viability
District of Columbia	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit
Florida[436]	no limit	no limit	15 weeks	6 weeks[ec]	6 weeks	6 weeks
Georgia[437][438][439]	no limit	no limit	22 weeks[ed]	no limit	heartbeat[ee]	heartbeat[ee]
Hawaii	no limit	no limit	viability	viability	viability	viability
Idaho[440]	no limit	no limit[ef]	15 weeks[eg]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Illinois	no limit	no limit	viability	viability	viability	viability
Indiana[443][444]	no limit	no limit	12 weeks[eh]	prohibited[ei]	prohibited	prohibited
Iowa[445][446][447]	no limit	no limit	22 weeks[ed]	heartbeat[ee][ej]	heartbeat[ee]	heartbeat[ee]
Kansas	no limit	no limit	22 weeks	22 weeks	22 weeks	22 weeks
Kentucky[448][449]	no limit	no limit	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Louisiana[450]	no limit	no limit	prohibited	prohibited[ek]	prohibited	prohibited
Maine[452]	no limit	no limit	viability[el]	viability[el]	viability[el]	viability
Maryland[ea][453][454]	no limit	no limit	viability[em]	no limit	viability[em]	viability[em]
Massachusetts	no limit	no limit	24 weeks	no limit	24 weeks	24 weeks
Michigan[ea][456]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit
Minnesota[457][458]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit
Mississippi[459][460][461]	no limit	prohibited	20 weeks	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Missouri[ea][462][463][464]	no limit	no limit	viability[en]	viability[en]	viability[en]	viability[en]
Montana[ea]	no limit	no limit	viability	viability	viability	viability
Nebraska[465][466]	no limit	no limit	22 weeks[ed]	12 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks
Nevada	no limit	no limit	24 weeks	24 weeks	24 weeks	24 weeks
New Hampshire[467]	no limit	no limit	24 weeks	no limit	24 weeks	24 weeks
New Jersey	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit
New Mexico[468]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit
New York[ea]	no limit	no limit	24 weeks[eo]	24 weeks[eo]	24 weeks[eo]	24 weeks[eo]
North Carolina[470]	no limit	no limit	20 weeks	12 weeks[ep]	12 weeks	12 weeks
North Dakota[471][472]	no limit	no limit	viability[eq]	viability[eq]	viability[eq]	viability[eq]
Ohio[ea][473][474]	no limit	no limit	viability[er]	viability[er]	viability[er]	viability[er]
Oklahoma[475][476]	no limit	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Oregon	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit
Pennsylvania	no limit	no limit	24 weeks	24 weeks	24 weeks	24 weeks
Rhode Island	no limit	no limit	viability	viability	viability	viability
South Carolina[477][478][479]	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	no limit	heartbeat[ee]	heartbeat[ee]
South Dakota[480]	no limit	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Tennessee[481]	no limit	no limit	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Texas[482][483]	no limit	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Utah[484][485][486]	no limit	no limit	no limit	18 weeks[es][eq]	18 weeks[eq]	18 weeks[eq]
Vermont[ea]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit
Virginia	no limit	no limit	6 months	6 months	6 months	6 months
Washington[487]	no limit	no limit	viability	viability	viability	viability
West Virginia[488]	no limit	no limit	11 weeks[et]	prohibited[eu]	prohibited	prohibited
Wisconsin[489][490][491]	no limit	no limit[eq]	22 weeks[ed][eq]	22 weeks[ed][eq]	22 weeks[ed][eq]	22 weeks[ed][eq]
Wyoming[492][493][494]	no limit	no limit	viability	viability	viability[eq]	viability[eq]
Uruguay[495][496]	no limit	no limit	14 weeks[ev]	no limit	12 weeks[ev]	12 weeks
Uzbekistan[498]	permitted	22 weeks	22 weeks	22 weeks	22 weeks	12 weeks
Vanuatu[499]	permitted	permitted[ew]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Vatican City	prohibited[ex]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Venezuela[507][508]	22 weeks	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Vietnam[509][510]	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	22 weeks[ey]
Yemen[514]	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Zambia[515]	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	prohibited
Zimbabwe[516][517]	22 weeks	22 weeks	22 weeks[ez]	22 weeks	prohibited[fa]	prohibited[fa]

Autonomous jurisdictions

The table below summarizes the legal grounds for abortion in autonomous jurisdictions not included in the previous table.

Legal grounds on which abortion is permitted in other autonomous jurisdictions

Jurisdiction	Risk to life	Risk to health	Rape	Fetal impairment	Economic or social	On request
Akrotiri and Dhekelia[521]	permitted	permitted	permitted[fb]	permitted	permitted[fb]	prohibited
American Samoa[522]	permitted	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Anguilla[523]	no limit	28 weeks	prohibited	28 weeks	prohibited	prohibited
Aruba[524]	permitted[fc]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Bermuda[525]	permitted	permitted	permitted	permitted	prohibited	prohibited
British Virgin Islands[526]	no limit	28 weeks	prohibited	28 weeks	prohibited	prohibited
Cayman Islands[527]	permitted	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Cook Islands[528][fd]	permitted	permitted[fe]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Curaçao[532]	permitted[fc]	prohibited[ff]	prohibited[ff]	prohibited[ff]	prohibited[ff]	prohibited[ff]
Falkland Islands[534]	no limit	no limit	permitted[fb]	no limit	24 weeks[fb]	prohibited
Faroe Islands[535]	no limit	no limit	16 weeks	16 weeks	prohibited[fg]	prohibited
Gibraltar[536]	no limit	no limit	12 weeks[fh]	no limit	12 weeks[fb]	prohibited
Greenland[538]	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	no limit	12 weeks
Guam[539][540]	no limit	no limit[fi]	26 weeks[fi]	26 weeks[fi]	13 weeks[fi]	13 weeks[fi]
Guernsey [subdivisions]	permitted[fj]	permitted[fj]	varies[fk]	varies[fk]	varies[fk]	prohibited
Alderney[543][fl]	permitted[fj]	permitted[fj]	prohibited[fl]	prohibited[fl]	prohibited[fl]	prohibited
Guernsey[544]	no limit	no limit	permitted[fb]	no limit	24 weeks[fb]	prohibited
Sark[543]	permitted[fj]	permitted[fj]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Isle of Man[547]	no limit	no limit	23 weeks	no limit	23 weeks	14 weeks
Jersey[548]	no limit	no limit	12 weeks	24 weeks	12 weeks	12 weeks
Montserrat[549]	no limit	viability	prohibited	viability	prohibited	prohibited
Niue	permitted[fm]	permitted[fm]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Northern Mariana Islands[555]	prohibited[fn]	prohibited[fn]	prohibited[fn]	prohibited[fn]	prohibited[fn]	prohibited[fn]
Pitcairn Islands[fo]	no limit	no limit	permitted[dw]	no limit	24 weeks[dw]	prohibited
Puerto Rico[559]	no limit	no limit	no limit[fp]	no limit[fp]	no limit[fp]	prohibited[fp]
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha[fq]	no limit	no limit	permitted[dw]	no limit	24 weeks[dw]	prohibited
Sint Maarten[564]	permitted[fc]	prohibited[fr]	prohibited[fr]	prohibited[fr]	prohibited[fr]	prohibited[fr]
Tokelau[565]	permitted[fs]	permitted[fs]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
Turks and Caicos Islands[567]	permitted[ft]	permitted[ft]	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited	prohibited
United States Virgin Islands[568]	no limit	no limit	24 weeks	24 weeks	24 weeks	24 weeks

Comparative limits for countries with elective abortions

Legal limits may not be directly comparable. Limits may be expressed in trimesters, months, weeks of pregnancy (implantation), weeks from fertilization, or weeks from last menstrual period (LMP).

• v
• t
• e

Color-coded map illustrating the term limits of elective abortion in Europe (in weeks from last menstrual period, fertilization or implantation)

Illegal   Legal but generally unavailable (Northern Ireland)   Legal first 5 weeks (Turkmenistan)   Legal first 10 weeks   Legal first 11 weeks (Estonia)   Legal first 12 weeks   Legal first 13 weeks (3 months, Austria, Tunisia)   Legal first 14 weeks   Legal first 18 weeks   Legal first 22 weeks (Iceland)   Legal first 24 weeks

  Technically illegal, but generally available through 12 weeks (Finland)

  Technically illegal, but generally available through 24 weeks (Great Britain)

  Technically 12 weeks, but generally available through 22 weeks (ex-USSR)

  Technically 12 weeks, but generally available through 28 weeks (ex-USSR)

  Legal if the pregnancy is not from marriage; generally available under exemptions (Israel)

Status of elective abortion in the United States

Illegal, limited exceptions[fu] v t e   Legal, but no providers   Legal before cardiac-cell activity[fv]   Legal through 12th week LMP*   Legal through 15th week LMP* (1st trimester)   Legal through 18th week LMP*   Legal through 22nd week LMP* (5 months)   Legal before fetal viability[fw]   Legal through 24th week LMP* (5½ months)   Legal through second trimester[fx]   Legal at any stage 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.^[fu] 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.

• v
• t
• e

Color-coded map illustrating availability of abortion in Canada, in weeks of embryonic age (from fertilization). Abortion is legal at all stages in Canada, but availability is subject to medical guidelines.

Available first 12 weeks (PEI)   Available first 13 weeks   Available first 16 weeks   Available first 19 weeks   Available first 20 weeks   Available first 24 weeks   Available first 25 weeks

• v
• t
• e

Colour-coded map illustrating accessibility of abortion 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 in Paraná, Argentina. Argentina had restrictive laws until 2021.

According to a report by Women on Waves,^{[better source needed]} approximately 25% of the world's population^{[as of?]} lives in countries with "highly restrictive abortion laws"—that is, laws which either completely ban abortion, or allow it only to save the mother's life. This category includes several countries in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Oceania, as well as Andorra and Malta in Europe.^[569] The Center for Reproductive Rights report that "[t]he inability to access safe and legal abortion care impacts 700 million women of reproductive age."^[570]

Some of the countries of Central America, notably El Salvador, have also come to international attention due to very forceful enforcement of the laws, including the incarceration of a gang-rape victim for homicide when she gave birth to a stillborn son and was accused of attempting an illegal abortion.^{[571][572][573]}

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. The Inter-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.^[574][575]

Beginning of pregnancy controversy

Main article: Beginning of pregnancy controversy

Controversy over the beginning of pregnancy occurs in different contexts, particularly in a legal context, and is particularly discussed within the abortion debate from the point of measuring the gestational age of the pregnancy. Pregnancy can be measured from a number of convenient points, including the day of last menstruation, 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.^[fy] However, not all legal systems use this measure for the purpose of abortion law; for example countries such as Belgium, France, and Luxembourg use the term "pregnancy" in the abortion law to refer to the time elapsed from the sexual act that led to conception, which is presumed to be 2 weeks after the end of the last menstrual period.^[fz]

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.^[581]

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, whereas abortion opponents in the United States argue health exceptions are used so broadly as to render a ban essentially meaningless.^[582]

Laws allowing abortion in cases of rape or incest often differ. For example, before Roe v. Wade, thirteen U.S. states allowed abortion in the case of either rape or incest, but only Mississippi permitted abortion of pregnancies due to rape, and no state permitted it for just incest.^[583]

Many^[vague] countries allow abortion only through the first or second trimester, and some may allow abortion in cases of fetal defects, e.g., Down syndrome, or where the pregnancy is the result of a sexual crime.

Other related laws

Main article: Legal protection of access to abortion

Laws in some countries with liberal abortion laws protect access to abortion services. Such legislation often seeks to guard abortion clinics against obstruction, 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", where demonstrations 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 or cars.^[584] Because of conflicts between anti-abortion activists on one side and women seeking abortion and medical staff who provides abortion on the other side, some laws are quite strict: in South 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^[585]).

On 3 November 2020, an association of 20 Kenyan charities urged the government of Kenya to withdraw from the Geneva 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.^[586]

Judicial decisions

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Year	Jurisdiction	Description	Abortion access affirmed or expanded?
1879	Canada	Abortion trial of Emily Stowe
1938	United Kingdom	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 their successors.[369]	Yes
1952	Canada	Azoulay v R[587]
1969	Victoria (Australia)	R v Davidson[ga] Abortion allowed in case of risk to life, and physical or mental health.[588]	Yes
1971	United States	United States v. Vuitch	Restrictions upheld
	New South Wales (Australia)	R v Wald Abortion in case of socioeconomic reasons included in risk to physical or mental health.	Yes
1973	United States	Doe v. Bolton Abortion allowed after viability if necessary to protect her health.
		Roe v. Wade Abortion allowed on demand in the entire country.
1975	Germany	German Federal Constitutional Court abortion decision	Law restricted
1976	Canada	Morgentaler v R	Restrictions upheld
	United States	Planned Parenthood v. Danforth	Legalization upheld
1979		Maher v. Roe
		Colautti v. Franklin
1980	Puerto Rico	Pueblo v. Duarte Application of Roe v. Wade to Puerto Rico.[559]	Yes
	United States	Harris v. McRae
1981		H. L. v. Matheson	Restrictions upheld
	Israel	A. v. B. Paternal consent not required.	Yes
1983	United States	City of Akron v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health
1986		Thornburgh v. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
1988	Canada	R v Morgentaler	Yes
1989		Borowski v Canada (AG)
	United States	Webster v. Reproductive Health Services	Restrictions upheld
	Canada	Tremblay v Daigle	Yes
1990	United States	Hodgson v. Minnesota
1991		Rust v. Sullivan
1992	Ireland	Attorney General v X Abortion allowed in case of risk to life, including risk of suicide.	Yes
	United States	Planned Parenthood v. Casey
1993		Bray v. Alexandria Women's Health Clinic
	Germany	2 BvF 2/90[175]
	Canada	R v Morgentaler	Yes
1995	New South Wales (Australia)	CES v. Superclinics Physical or mental health should be considered not only during the pregnancy but also after the birth.
1997	Poland	K 26/96 Abortion for economic or social reasons ruled unconstitutional.[341]	Law restricted
	United States	Thornburgh v. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
1998	South Africa	Christian Lawyers Association v Minister of Health Law allowing abortion on demand ruled constitutional.	Legalization upheld
2000	United States	Hill v. Colorado
		Stenberg v. Carhart Supreme Court struck down Nebraska's partial-birth abortion ban.	Yes
2001	Argentina	T., S. v. Government of Buenos Aires City[589]
2003	United States	Scheidler v. National Organization for Women
2006		Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England
		Scheidler v. National Organization for Women
		Gonzales v. Carhart Supreme Court upheld the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003.	Restrictions upheld
	Colombia	Constitutional Court allowed abortion in case of danger to woman's life or health, rape, and fetal deformation.[124]	Yes
	Council of Europe	D v Ireland
	New South Wales (Australia)	R v Sood[590]
2007	Council of Europe	Tysiąc v Poland[591]
	Slovakia	Constitutional Court ruled law allowing abortion on demand constitutional.[592]	Legalization upheld
2008	Nepal	Achyut Kharel v. Government of Nepal [593]
2009	Council of Europe	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 the European 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.	Yes
	Nepal	Lakshmi v. Government of Nepal Supreme Court upheld and expanded legal abortion.[594]
2011	United Kingdom	British Pregnancy Advisory Service v Secretary of State for Health[595]
2012	Argentina	F., A. L. Abortion allowed in case of rape of any woman, regardless of her mental health.[596]	Yes
	Brazil	ADPF 54 Abortion allowed in case of anencephaly.[597]
	Council of Europe	P. and S. v. Poland[598]
2013	El Salvador	Case of "Beatriz"[599]
2014	Bolivia	Ruling 0206/2014[600]
	Ireland	P.P. v. Health Service Executive
2015	Dominican Republic	Constitutional Court ruled law allowing abortion in certain cases unconstitutional.[601]	Law restricted
	Rwanda	RPA 0787/15/HC/KIG[602]
2016	United States	Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt	Yes
	United Nations	Mellet v Ireland
2017	Chile	Constitutional Court ruled law allowing abortion in certain cases constitutional.[118]	Yes
	Croatia	Constitutional Court ruled law allowing abortion on demand constitutional.[603]	Legalization upheld
2018	United Kingdom	Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission v Department of Justice[604]
2019	South Korea	Abortion allowed on request. Decision took effect in 2021.[384]	Yes
	Australia	Clubb v Edwards
	Kenya	FIDA-Kenya and Others v. Attorney General and Others Abortion allowed in case of rape.[215]	Yes
2020	Poland	K 1/20 Abortion in case of fetal deformity ruled unconstitutional. The decision was implemented on 27 January 2021.[340]	Law restricted
	Thailand	Ruling No. 4/2563[605]
	Colombia	Constitutional Court ruled law allowing abortion in certain cases constitutional rejecting both total ban and legalization.[606]	Law upheld
2021	Ecuador	Abortion allowed in case of rape of any woman, regardless of her mental health.[152]	Yes
	Mexico	Deadlines in case of pregnancy after rape ruled unconstitutional.[254][255]
		Penalties for abortion ruled unconstitutional.[41][42]
		[607]
		[608][609]
	Inter-American Court of Human Rights	Manuela and Others v. El Salvador[610]
	United States	United States v. Texas	Restrictions upheld
		Whole Woman's Health v. Jackson
2022	Colombia	Constitutional Court decriminalized abortion up to 24 weeks of gestation.[40]	Yes
	United States	Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization States may now ban or restrict abortion before viability, Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey overturned.	Law restricted
	India	Abortion allowed under the same criteria regardless of marital status.[611]	Yes
2023	Mexico	Abortion allowed at federal health facilities anywhere in the country.[252][253]

See also

• Category:Abortion by country
• Medical law
• Waiting period

Notes

1. Mainland China.
2. In 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]
3. 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]
4. In some parts of Overseas France, abortion on request became legal in 2001.^[23][24][25]
5. Year when all subnational jurisdictions legalized abortion on request.
6. Including Svalbard.^[314]
7. The law legalizing abortion on request was approved in 1978 and came into force in 1979.^[26]
8. In the Caribbean Netherlands, abortion on request became legal in 2011.^[27][28]
9. 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.
10. The law legalizing abortion on request was approved in 1995 and came into force in 1996.^[32]
11. The law legalizing abortion on request was approved in 2014 and came into force in 2015.^[34]
12. The law legalizing abortion on request was approved in 2018 and came into force in 2019.^[35]
13. The law legalizing abortion on request was approved in 2020 and came into force in 2021.^[36]
14. Including Åland.^[164]
15. The law of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan consisted primarily of statutory law and a limited use of Islamic 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 the 2021 Taliban offensive, the new government announced its intention to implement Islamic law exclusively, and it is unclear which legal grounds for abortion it accepts.^[53]
16. The UN source says that this ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is accepted as a general legal principle.^[55] However, other sources say that abortion is not legally allowed under any circumstance in Andorra.^[56]
17. 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]
18. 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]
19. Before independence, a judicial 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}
20. Abortion for this ground is permitted in all subdivisions except the Northern Territory.^[64][65]
21. Applies the laws of Western Australia.^[68]
22. Applies the laws of Western Australia.^[69]
23. Applies the laws of the Australian Capital Territory.^[70]
24. 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]
25. 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]
26. If the woman was under age 14 when getting pregnant, no limit is specified.
27. The penal code says that abortion is permitted for therapeutic 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.
28. The 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]
29. The 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]
30. 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]
31. Defined as 12 weeks from conception, considered as 14 weeks from the last menstrual period.^[91]
32. 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]
33. This ground is only cited in guidelines for health workers, not by law.^[94][95]
34. 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]
35. Continues to apply the abortion law of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.^[97][98]
36. 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 a decision by the Supreme Federal Court, abortion is also permitted in case of anencephaly, and it may also be authorized by court order in other fatal cases of fetal impairment.^{[102][103][104]}
37. 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.
38. 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]}
39. The penal code says that abortion may be permitted to an underage woman in a state of grave distress up to 8 weeks.^[115]
40. If the woman is under age 14, the gestational limit is 14 weeks.
41. Abortion for this ground is permitted in mainland China and Hong Kong, but not in Macau.
42. Abortion for this ground is permitted in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong or Macau.
43. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is established by judicial decision.^{[123][124][40]}
44. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law.^[126] The Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which is declared to be an integral part of the constitution, says that "Abortion, other than therapeutic, 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 general legal principle.^[44]
45. A judicial pardon may be granted to the woman for an abortion on this ground.^[128]
46. In some cases, the gestational limit is 12 or 24 weeks.
47. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is accepted as a general legal principle, allowed by regulation and established by treaty.^[135][136]
48. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is established by treaty, whose application is requested by the Constitutional Court.^[135][137]
49. 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]
50. Before independence, a judicial decision in the parent country allowed abortion for this ground, but the decision has not been explicitly recognized by Dominica.^[144]
51. The UN source says that this ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is accepted as a general legal principle. However, other sources say that abortion is not legally allowed under any circumstance in the Dominican Republic.^[146][147]
52. 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.^[148][149] However, the penal code was amended in July 2009 to restrict abortion only to save the woman's life.^{[150][149][151]}
53. 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.^[152]
54. Abortion is permitted if the woman is under age 18.
55. If the woman is under age 15 or over age 45, the gestational limit is 22 weeks.
56. 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.^[160][161]
57. Including Overseas France.^[167]
58. Defined as 14 weeks of pregnancy, considered as 16 weeks from the last menstrual period.^[168]
59. The penal code says that abortion may be permitted to an underage woman in a state of grave distress up to 10 weeks.
60. The 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.^[175][176]
61. If the woman is a minor or incapable of resisting, the gestational limit is 19 weeks.
62. If the woman is HIV-positive or contraception failure, the gestational limit is 16 weeks.
63. A new penal code, published by presidential decree on 24 June 2020, would allow abortion on request in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, and in case of risk to the woman's physical or mental health, rape or incest.^[183] The code is set to take effect on 19 June 2025 unless modified before then.^[184]
64. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is accepted as a general legal principle.
65. Up 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.^[186]
66. 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.^[186]
67. No limit in case of "substantial foetal abnormalities".^[188]
68. Including the failure of contraception.^[188]
69. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law,^[195] 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.^{[196][better source needed]}
70. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is accepted as a general legal principle.^[197][198]
71. This ground is only cited in instructions to health committees, not by law.^[199]
72. If the risk to life or health is immediate, no gestational limit is specified.
73. Abortion 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.^[201]
74. The UN source marks it as a legal ground but it is only established by treaty, not by law and not implemented as of 2020.^[203][204]
75. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is accepted as a general legal principle and established by judicial decision.^{[205][206][207][208]}
76. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is established by judicial decision.^{[205][206][207][208]}
77. 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]
78. The penal code prohibits "unlawful abortion", defined as "abortion not authorized by medical doctor commission". The penal code also lists the principles of legitimate defense and necessity to save one's life, which lead to exemption from penal liability.^[222] A decision by the Ministry 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] A WHO 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.
79. If the woman is under age 13 or over age 49, no limit is specified.
80. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law.^[235] The UN source says that it is accepted as a general legal principle,^[44] but other sources say that abortion is not legally allowed under any circumstance in Madagascar.^[236][237]
81. The law of Maldives is a combination of statutory and Islamic law.^[240] The Maldivian penal code criminalizes abortion after 120 days of gestation, except for risk to the woman's life.^[241] The Maldivian Islamic 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]
82. Only for certain medical conditions of a fetus conceived in marriage.^[242][243]
83. The 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]
84. Abortion for this ground is permitted by law in all subdivisions except Guanajuato and Querétaro. In these two 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 by amparo.^[41][42]
85. Abortion for this ground is permitted by law in some states and Mexico 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 by amparo.^[41][42]
86. The penal codes of some states specify a gestational limit for abortion in case of rape. However, in July 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to set a limit for abortion on this ground.^[254][255]
87. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is established by judicial decision.^[262]
88. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is established by judicial decision.^[41][42]
89. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is established by judicial decision.^[274]
90. If the woman is under age 15 or over age 40, the gestational limit is 21 weeks.
91. In 2016, the government of Morocco proposed allowing abortion in cases of rape, incest, mental disability and fetal impairment. However, the parliament did not approve the proposal,^[293][294] and as of 2021 the abortion articles in the penal code remain unchanged.^[295][296]
92. May be permitted with no gestational limit in case the fetus is not viable.^[297]
93. Up to 28 weeks if the woman has HIV or a similar incurable disease.^[301][302]
94. Including the Caribbean Netherlands.^[27][28]
95. The Criminal Code of the predecessor of Nigeria prohibited abortion except to save the woman's life. A judicial decision on a similar law in the parent country allowed abortion also to preserve the woman's health, but the West 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 judicial precedent remain in force in the southern states of Nigeria. In the states corresponding to the former Northern 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]
96. The 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 are forced to have abortions to prevent children of mixed ethnicity.^[311][312]
97. May be permitted with no gestational limit in some cases.^[313]
98. The penal law prohibits abortion without any explicit exception, but it exempts from penal liability actions done by necessity to protect oneself or others from a severe and imminent danger, and in the practice of agreed medical activities or urgent medical intervention.^[316] 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.^[317]
99. Different sources specify this limit as 120 days or four months of gestation.^[320][321]
100. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law^[322] but it is accepted as a general legal principle.^{[citation needed]}
101. The law prohibits abortion except to save the woman's life.^[323] However, some sources say that abortion may also be permitted for health reasons and in cases of rape and fetal impairment,^{[324][325][326]} while other sources say that it is not possible to obtain an abortion in any circumstance.^[327]
102. The law prohibits abortion done "unlawfully" without defining it, and it explicitly permits abortion to preserve the woman's life.^[330] 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.^[331][332] However, in 2018, in the case of a woman who had aborted at four months of pregnancy due to risk to health, the Supreme 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).^[333]
103. The law prohibits abortion without explicitly mentioning any exception,^[336] but in 2014 the Supreme Court ruled that indirect abortion done to save the woman's life was permitted under the principle of double effect.^[337][338]
104. This ground was mentioned in the law but it was invalidated by a judicial decision in 2020.^[340]
105. This ground was mentioned in the law but it was invalidated by a judicial decision in 1997.^[341]
106. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is established by judicial decision.^{[350][351][61]: 14}
107. In case of risk to the woman's life after fetal viability, the pregnancy may also be interrupted by attempting a live birth.
108. Permitted until fetal viability in case of a fetal anomaly that poses a risk to the woman's health.
109. Abortion may also permitted up to 40 days of gestation for other reasons that are not economic or social concerns.^{[356][357][358]}
110. The penal code prohibits abortion without any explicit exception,^[359] but the code of medical ethics permits abortion to save the woman's life.^{[360][44][361]} The government has stated that abortion is authorized in case of risk to the woman's health.^[362]
111. In some cases, abortion may be allowed up to fetal viability or 26 weeks of gestation.^[365][366]
112. Sierra Leone established that the laws in force in England in 1880 would be in force in Sierra Leone from 1965.^[367] One of these laws prohibited abortion done "unlawfully" without defining it.^[368] A judicial 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.^[369] It is unclear whether Sierra Leone applies only the original legal principle or also the judicial decision.^[370][371] In 2015 the parliament of Sierra Leone passed a law allowing abortion on request but it was not signed by the president so it did not come into force.^[372][373]
113. In some cases, the gestational limit is 12 weeks.
114. Including Somaliland.^[381][382]
115. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is accepted as a general legal principle.^{[clarification needed]}
116. 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.^[383] On 11 April 2019, the Constitutional Court ruled that the abortion restrictions were unconstitutional, giving the legislature 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.^[384] As of 2024, the legislature had still not approved any of the proposals, leaving abortion decriminalized without a clear gestational limit.^[385]
117. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is established by judicial decision.^[384]
118. In case of a fatal anomaly, no limit is specified.
119. From conception.
120. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law^[391] but it is accepted as a general legal principle.^{[citation needed]}
121. In mainland 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.^[398] In Zanzibar, the penal act has equivalent articles 129 to 131, 213 and 200.^[399]
122. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law. A judicial decision by the East 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.^[400]
123. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law^[404] but it is accepted as a general legal principle.^[405]
124. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law^[408] but it is accepted as a general legal principle and established by judicial decision.^{[clarification needed][409][410]}
125. If the woman is under age 15 or over age 45, the gestational limit is 22 weeks.^[417][418]
126. A Cabinet 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.^[420] 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.^[421][422]
127. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is considered to be included in a ground for preserving physical or mental health.^{[423][424][425]}
128. Abortion for this ground is permitted only in Northern Ireland, up to 12 weeks of gestation.^[426]
129. Abortion for this ground is not permitted in some states.
130. Permitted in case of a lethal anomaly up to 20 weeks from fertilization, considered as 22 weeks from the last menstrual period.^[430][429]
131. This U.S. state has explicitly amended its constitution to guarantee the right to an abortion to its residents.
132. The law sets a gestational limit of 15 weeks for abortion on this ground,^[432] but the constitution invalidates its enforcement before fetal viability.^[433]
133. Permitted in the first 23 weeks of gestation if the fetus has a fatal abnormality.^[436]
134. Defined as 20 weeks from fertilization, considered as 22 weeks from the last menstrual period.^[428]
135. Prohibited after embryonic or fetal cardiac activity is detected, which is possible after approximately 6 weeks of gestation.
136. This ground is not mentioned in the state law but it is established by judicial decision based on federal law.^[441]
137. Defined as 13 weeks from fertilization, considered as 15 weeks from the last menstrual period.^[440][442]
138. Defined as 10 weeks from fertilization, considered as 12 weeks from the last menstrual period.^[443]
139. Permitted in case of a lethal anomaly up to 20 weeks from fertilization, considered as 22 weeks from the last menstrual period.^[443]
140. 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.^[446]
141. Permitted in certain cases of fatal anomalies.^[450][451]
142. Abortion after viability is allowed if a physician judges it "necessary" under the "applicable standard of care".^[452]
143. Criminal law prohibits abortion after fetal viability except as stated in health law,^[453] and health law states that "the State may not interfere" with abortion on this ground before viability.^[454] Sources disagree whether it is actually prohibited after viability.^[455][428]
144. The law prohibits abortion on this ground,^[463] but the constitution invalidates its enforcement before fetal viability.^[464]
145. Also allowed after this period if there is an absence of fetal viability.^[469]
146. Permitted up to 24 weeks of gestation in case of a life-limiting anomaly.^[470]
147. A law prohibits abortion on this ground or sets a lower gestational limit but it is suspended by judicial decision.
148. The law prohibits abortion on this ground after embryonic or fetal cardiac activity is detected,^[473] which is possible after approximately 6 weeks of gestation, but the constitution invalidates its enforcement before fetal viability.^[474]
149. In case of a lethal anomaly or a severe brain abnormality, no limit is specified.
150. 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.^[488]
151. Permitted with no gestational limit if the fetus has a lethal anomaly.^[488]
152. A judge may also remove the penalty for abortion on this ground in the first 3 months from conception.^[497]
153. The penal code says that abortion is permitted for "good medical reasons"^[499] 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.
154. The law of Vatican City is primarily based on the canon law of the Catholic Church and applies the Italian penal code in force in 1929 with local modifications.^[500] Both sources of law prohibit abortion without explicitly mentioning any exception.^[501][502] Article 49 of the penal code lists the principle of necessity to save one's life, which removes punishment for any action that would otherwise be a crime,^[503][504] but the Church's official interpretation of canon 1398 is more restrictive, allowing in such cases only indirect abortion under the principle of double effect.^[505][506]
155. Depending on the capacity at each level of hospital.^{[511][512][513]}
156. The law prohibits abortion in case of rape within marriage or under age 18,^[518] but it is invalidated by judicial decision.^[519]
157. The 2014 Guidelines for Comprehensive Abortion Care says "In Zimbabwe termination of pregnancy may be permitted for HIV-positive women if they choose to do so."^[520]
158. This 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.^{[423][424][425]}
159. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law but it is accepted as a general legal principle.^[61]
160. The parliament has proposed a law allowing abortion also in case of risk to health, rape and fetal impairment,^[529] but it has not yet been approved.^[530]
161. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law, but it is established by a judicial 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.^[531]
162. Although illegal, the government does not prosecute abortions performed under rules similar to other countries, including on request.^[533]
163. Permitted up to 16 weeks of gestation if medical circumstances make the woman unfit to care for her child.^[535]
164. 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.^[536][537]
165. Although the law permits abortions on request, no medical providers in the territory perform them except to save the woman's life.^[541][542]
166. In Alderney and Sark, this ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law.^[543] A judicial 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.^[369] It is unclear whether Alderney and Sark apply only the original legal principle or also the judicial decision.
167. Abortion for this ground is permitted in the jurisdiction of Guernsey, but not in Alderney or Sark.^[543][544]
168. Although 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.^[545] To resolve the legal contradiction, in 2022 the States of Alderney passed an abortion law identical to the one in Guernsey, and it awaits a regulation to establish the effective date.^[546]
169. A law enacted by New Zealand for Niue in 1966 prohibited abortion done "unlawfully", without defining it,^[550] but a judicial 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.^[551] In 2007, New Zealand repealed the sections of law that prohibited abortion in Niue,^[552] but they remain in force in Niue^[553] as legislation enacted by New Zealand after 1974 does not apply to Niue without its consent.^[554]
170. The territory's constitution prohibits abortion "except as provided by law", and the territory has no law about the subject.^[555] A law from the predecessor 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.^[556] 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.^[557] In 1995, an opinion issued by the territory's attorney general concluded that U.S. judicial decisions allowing abortion on request also applied to the territory, but these decisions were overturned in 2022.^[555]
171. Applies English law in force in 2010 unless locally modified.^[558]
172. The penal code prohibits abortion except in case of risk to the woman's life or health.^[559] 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.^[560][561]
173. Applies English law in force on 1 January 2006 unless locally modified, in each part of the territory.^[562] Tristan da Cunha explicitly applies the abortion law of the United Kingdom with minor modifications.^[563]
174. Although illegal, the government does not prosecute abortions performed under rules similar to other countries, including on request.^[61]
175. This 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.^[566]
176. This ground is not explicitly mentioned in the law. A judicial 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.^[369] It is unclear whether the territory applies only the original legal principle or also the judicial decision.
177. All 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 for risk 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 for risk 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 for pregnancy due to rape or incest: Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Carolina, West Virginia, Utah, and Wyoming.
     • Allowance for lethal fetal 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.
178. Cardiac-cell activity is generally detectable in the 6th week LMP.
     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.
179. Typically, fetal viability begins in the 23rd or 24th week LMP.
180. 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.
181. Some examples of gestational age calculated from the first day of the last menstrual cycle:^{[576][577][578][579][580][excessive citations]}
182. 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 of amenorrhea".^[234]
183. Also known as the "Menhennitt ruling".