Foreign Abortion Laws

After the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion, each state has the opportunity to define its own laws in this area. State abortion laws are expected to vary widely, raising the question of how they compare to abortion laws around the world. This summary of abortion laws in the 50 most populous countries (excluding the United States) shows that international approaches to abortion are equally diverse.

China

Abortion is legal, except for sex-selective abortions, although specific rules vary by province. For example, certain provinces have set time limits for abortion in cases that do not involve medical necessity.

India

Abortion is broadly permitted up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. It may be permitted up to 24 weeks in certain cases, such as those involving minors, rape, incest, sexual assault, and women with disabilities or mental illnesses. Abortion may be permitted at any time when there is a fetal anomaly.

Indonesia

Abortion is permitted in a medical emergency and in pregnancies due to rape, although the rape justification applies for only the first six weeks of pregnancy.

Pakistan

Abortion is permitted when a pregnancy is dangerous to a woman’s health, or when there is a need for an abortion. What constitutes a “need” is not defined.

Brazil

Abortion is permitted when there is a risk to a pregnant woman’s life, the pregnancy resulted from a rape, or the fetus suffers from anencephaly.

Nigeria

Abortion is permitted when the life of a pregnant woman is at risk.

Bangladesh

Abortion is permitted when it is necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman.

Russia

Abortion is broadly permitted up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. It is permitted up to 22 weeks if the pregnancy resulted from a rape, and at any time for medical necessity.

Mexico

Access to abortion is a fundamental right, but specific rules vary by state. For example, abortion is broadly permitted in Mexico City up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Japan

Abortion is permitted up to 22 weeks of pregnancy when it is physically or financially difficult to continue with a pregnancy or to give birth, or when a pregnancy was a result of a rape. It is permitted afterward only if it is medically necessary.

Ethiopia

Abortion is permitted when the life or physical health of a pregnant woman is in danger, when a pregnant woman has a physical or mental disability, and in cases of rape, incest, or fetal impairment. A minor who is physically or mentally unprepared for childbirth also can get an abortion.

Philippines

Abortion is technically prohibited, although it may be justified under current penal laws when it is necessary to protect the life or health of a pregnant woman.

Egypt

Abortion is prohibited except in cases of necessity, which typically means that an abortion is necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman. Necessity also might be found when a pregnant woman’s health is at risk, or in cases of fetal impairment.

Vietnam

Abortion is broadly permitted, and Vietnam has one of the highest rates of abortion in the world.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Abortion is permitted in cases involving sexual assault, rape, or incest, and when a continued pregnancy would endanger the life or mental or physical health of a pregnant woman.

Turkey

Abortion is broadly permitted during the first 10 weeks of gestation. It is permitted afterward only to save the life or health of a pregnant woman, or when there is fetal impairment.

Iran

Abortion may be permitted in cases of fetal anomalies or when there is a threat to the life of a pregnant woman. A panel of a judge, a medical doctor, and a forensic doctor will decide whether it is appropriate in each case.

Germany

Abortion is technically prohibited, but it is not punishable if it is performed during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy after mandatory counseling. It is also not punishable if a pregnancy resulted from a sexual assault, or if the physical or mental health of a pregnant woman is at risk.

Thailand

Abortion is broadly permitted during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. It is permitted afterward in cases involving rape, serious fetal impairment, or a risk to a pregnant woman’s health.

United Kingdom

Abortion is permitted up to 24 weeks of gestation when there is a risk of injury to the physical or mental health of a pregnant woman or any existing children in her family. This provision has been interpreted to essentially permit abortion in general during that time. After 24 weeks, it is permitted when the life of a pregnant woman is at risk, to prevent grave permanent injury to her physical or mental health, or when there is a substantial risk that the child would be seriously handicapped if they were born, due to physical or mental abnormalities.

France

Abortion is broadly permitted during the first 14 weeks after conception. It is permitted afterward when there is a risk to the life of a pregnant woman, it is performed to prevent grave permanent injury to her physical or mental health, or the child will suffer from a severe and incurable illness.

Italy

Abortion is broadly permitted during the first 90 days of pregnancy. It is permitted afterward when there are serious fetal abnormalities, or when the life or health of a pregnant woman is at risk.

Tanzania

Abortion is permitted when it is performed to preserve the life or the mental or physical health of a pregnant woman, or in cases of sexual violence.

South Africa

Abortion is broadly permitted until 12 weeks of pregnancy. It is permitted until 20 weeks of pregnancy if the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest, the physical or mental health of a pregnant woman is at risk, the child will have a severe physical or mental abnormality, or the continued pregnancy would significantly affect the social or economic circumstances of the woman. After 20 weeks of pregnancy, abortion is permitted only if the life of a pregnant woman is at risk, there is a risk of injury to the fetus, or there will be severe malformation of the fetus.

Myanmar

Abortion is permitted if a pregnancy poses a risk to the life of a pregnant woman.

Kenya

Abortion is permitted if the life or health of a pregnant woman is at risk, or if a pregnancy resulted from a rape.

Korea

Abortion is broadly permitted until the 14th week of pregnancy. It is permitted until the 24th week for social, economic, or health reasons, or when a pregnancy resulted from a rape.

Colombia

Abortion is broadly permitted until the 24th week of pregnancy. It is permitted afterward only in cases involving rape, fetal malformation, or a risk of death to a pregnant woman.

Spain

Abortion is broadly permitted during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy. It is permitted until 22 weeks of pregnancy if there are serious risks to the life or health of a pregnant woman, and it is permitted afterward only if there are fetal anomalies incompatible with life, or if the fetus has an extremely serious and incurable disease.

Uganda

Abortion is permitted when the life of a pregnant woman is at risk.

Argentina

Abortion is broadly permitted until the 14th week of pregnancy. It is permitted afterward if the life or health of a pregnant woman is in danger, and in cases of rape.

Algeria

Abortion is permitted when a pregnant woman’s life or health is at risk, when a fetal anomaly implies non-viability, or when the physiological, psychological, or mental balance of the woman is at serious risk. (This may include cases of rape.)

Sudan

Abortion is permitted when the life of a pregnant woman is at risk, or in cases of rape.

Ukraine

Abortion is broadly permitted through the 12th week of pregnancy. It is permitted afterward in cases of rape, incest, fetal deformities, or risks to the health of a pregnant woman.

Iraq

Abortion is technically prohibited, but it may be acceptable to save the life of a pregnant woman, and potentially in cases involving a risk to a pregnant woman’s health or fetal impairment.

Afghanistan

Abortion is permitted if the life of a pregnant woman is at risk, or if the child has a severe disability.

Poland

Abortion is permitted when the life or health of a pregnant woman is at risk, or when a pregnancy resulted from a crime.

Canada

Abortion is broadly permitted throughout pregnancy. However, access to abortion care is limited after 23 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy.

Morocco

Abortion is permitted if the physical health of a pregnant woman is at risk, and in cases of rape, incest, or fetal impairment.

Saudi Arabia

Abortion is permitted when there is a risk to the life of a pregnant woman, or to protect her physical and mental health. (The mental health exemption may cover a pregnancy resulting from incest or rape.)

Uzbekistan

Abortion is broadly permitted during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. It is permitted afterward based on certain economic, social, or medical grounds, such as saving the life of a pregnant woman, preserving her physical or mental health, fetal impairment, inadequate financial resources, and cases of rape or incest.

Peru

Abortion is permitted when there is a threat to the life or health of a pregnant woman.

Angola

Abortion is permitted when there is a grave threat to the health or life of the mother or the fetus, and in cases of rape.

Malaysia

Abortion is permitted when a registered medical practitioner deems that the continuance of a pregnancy will threaten the life of a pregnant woman or cause an injury to her physical or mental health.

Mozambique

Abortion is broadly permitted during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. It is permitted during the first 16 weeks in cases of rape or incest, and during the first 24 weeks in cases of fetal anomalies.

Ghana

Abortion is permitted to protect the physical or mental health of a pregnant woman, and in cases involving rape, incest, fetal abnormality or disease, or “defilement of a female idiot.”

Yemen

Abortion is permitted to save the life of a pregnant woman.

Nepal

Abortion is broadly permitted up to 12 weeks of gestation. It is permitted up to 18 weeks of gestation in cases of rape or incest, and it is permitted afterward if there is a danger to the life or the physical or mental health of a pregnant woman, or if there is a fetal abnormality.

Venezuela

Abortion is permitted to save the life of a pregnant woman.

Madagascar

Abortion is prohibited, with no explicit exception to preserve the life of a pregnant woman.

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