# Abortion law

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, while Yugoslavia implicitly inscribed abortion rights in its constitution in 1974.
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, due to unavailability of modern contraceptives in areas where abortion is illegal. Also according to the study, the number of abortions worldwide is declining due to increased access to contraception.

## History

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. 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. 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. 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. 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, amended in May 1949 to allow abortions for economic reasons. Abortion was legalized in 1952 in Yugoslavia (on a limited basis), 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.
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."

## Timeline of abortion on request

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 ( Czech Republic Slovakia as part of Czechoslovakia) | 3 | 18 |
| 1965 | Cuba | 1 | 19 |
| 1973 | Denmark Tunisia | 2 | 21 |
| 1974 | Singapore Sweden | 2 | 23 |
| 1975 | Austria France Vietnam | 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 | 1 | 35 |
| 1983 | Turkey | 1 | 36 |
| 1984 | Netherlands | 1 | 37 |
| 1986 | Cape Verde Greece | 2 | 39 |
| 1988 | Canada | 1 | 40 |
| 1989 | Mongolia | 1 | 41 |
| 1990 | Belgium Bulgaria Romania | 3 | 44 |
| 1992 | Germany | 1 | 45 |
| 1993 | Guinea-Bissau | 1 | 46 |
| 1995 | Guyana | 1 | 47 |
| 1996 | Albania | 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 Uruguay | 2 | 56 |
| 2015 | Mozambique | 1 | 57 |
| 2018 | Cyprus | 1 | 58 |
| 2019 | Iceland Ireland | 2 | 60 |
| 2020 | New Zealand | 1 | 61 |
| 2021 | Argentina South Korea Thailand | 3 | 64 |
| 2022 | Colombia San Marino | 2 | 66 |
| 2023 | Finland | 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.
The Catholic Church remains highly influential in Latin America, and opposes the legalisation of abortion. 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), Argentina (2021), Colombia (2022) and in parts of Mexico. 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.
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. K.L. received the compensation in 2016. 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, 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.
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.$^{:26}$
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.

### 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 | 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". |
| 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, 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 | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Afghanistan | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Albania | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | no limit | 22 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Algeria | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Andorra | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Angola | permitted | permitted | 16 weeks | permitted | prohibited | prohibited |
| Antigua and Barbuda | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Argentina | permitted | permitted | permitted | 14 weeks | permitted | 14 weeks |
| Armenia | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | 22 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Australia [subdivisions] | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | varies |
| Australian Capital Territory | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit |
| Christmas Island | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 23 weeks |
| Cocos Islands | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 23 weeks |
| Jervis Bay Territory | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit |
| New South Wales | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 22 weeks |
| Norfolk Island | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit |
| Northern Territory | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | prohibited |
| Queensland | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 22 weeks |
| South Australia | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 22 weeks and 6 days |
| Tasmania | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 16 weeks |
| Victoria | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 24 weeks |
| Western Australia | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 23 weeks |
| Austria | no limit | no limit | 3 months | no limit | 3 months | 3 months |
| Azerbaijan | no limit | no limit | permitted | permitted | 22 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Bahamas | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Bahrain | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Bangladesh | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Barbados | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | no limit | 12 weeks | prohibited |
| Belarus | no limit | no limit | 22 weeks | no limit | 22 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Belgium | no limit | no limit | 14 weeks | no limit | 14 weeks | 14 weeks |
| Belize | no limit | no limit | prohibited | no limit | permitted | prohibited |
| Benin | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | 12 weeks | prohibited |
| Bhutan | 180 days | 180 days | 180 days | 180 days | prohibited | prohibited |
| Bolivia | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | prohibited | prohibited |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina [subdivisions] | no limit | no limit | permitted | permitted | permitted | 10 weeks |
| Brčko District | no limit | no limit | 20 weeks | 20 weeks | 10 weeks | 10 weeks |
| Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina | no limit | no limit | 20 weeks | 20 weeks | 10 weeks | 10 weeks |
| Republika Srpska | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 10 weeks |
| Botswana | 16 weeks | 16 weeks | 16 weeks | 16 weeks | prohibited | prohibited |
| Brazil | no limit | prohibited | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Brunei | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Bulgaria | no limit | 20 weeks | permitted | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Burkina Faso | no limit | no limit | 14 weeks | no limit | prohibited | prohibited |
| Burundi | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Cambodia | no limit | 12 weeks | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Cameroon | permitted | 28 weeks | 28 weeks | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Canada | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit |
| Cape Verde | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | permitted | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Central African Republic | 8 weeks | prohibited | 8 weeks | 8 weeks | prohibited | prohibited |
| Chad | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited |
| Chile | no limit | prohibited | 12 weeks | permitted | prohibited | prohibited |
| China [subdivisions] | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | varies | varies |
| Mainland China | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted |
| Hong Kong | no limit | 24 weeks | 24 weeks | 24 weeks | 24 weeks | prohibited |
| Macau | no limit | no limit | 24 weeks | 24 weeks | prohibited | prohibited |
| Colombia | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 24 weeks | 24 weeks |
| Comoros | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Congo | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Costa Rica | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Croatia | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 10 weeks | 10 weeks |
| Cuba | no limit | 22 weeks | no limit | 35 weeks | 22 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Cyprus | permitted | permitted | 19 weeks | permitted | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Czech Republic | no limit | permitted | 12 weeks | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited |
| Denmark | no limit | no limit | viability | no limit | viability | 12 weeks |
| Djibouti | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Dominica | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Dominican Republic | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| East Timor | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Ecuador | permitted | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Egypt | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| El Salvador | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Equatorial Guinea | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | prohibited | prohibited |
| Eritrea | permitted | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Estonia | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 12 weeks | 22 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Eswatini | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited |
| Ethiopia | 28 weeks | 28 weeks | 28 weeks | 28 weeks | prohibited | prohibited |
| Fiji | no limit | no limit | 20 weeks | no limit | prohibited | prohibited |
| Finland | no limit | no limit | 20 weeks | 24 weeks | 20 weeks | 12 weeks |
| France | no limit | no limit | 16 weeks | no limit | 16 weeks | 16 weeks |
| Gabon | 10 weeks | prohibited | 10 weeks | 10 weeks | prohibited | prohibited |
| Gambia | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | permitted | prohibited | prohibited |
| Georgia | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Germany | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Ghana | 28 weeks | 28 weeks | 28 weeks | 28 weeks | prohibited | prohibited |
| Greece | no limit | no limit | 19 weeks | 24 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Grenada | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Guatemala | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Guinea | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited |
| Guinea-Bissau | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted |
| Guyana | no limit | no limit | 16 weeks | 16 weeks | 8 weeks | 8 weeks |
| Haiti | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Honduras | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Hungary | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 20 weeks | 12 weeks | prohibited |
| Iceland | no limit | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | no limit | 22 weeks | 22 weeks |
| India | no limit | 24 weeks | 24 weeks | 24 weeks | 24 weeks | prohibited |
| Indonesia | no limit | no limit | 14 weeks | no limit | prohibited | prohibited |
| Iran | 4 months | 4 months | prohibited | 4 months | prohibited | prohibited |
| Iraq | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Ireland | viability | viability | 12 weeks | permitted | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Israel | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | prohibited |
| Italy | no limit | viability | 90 days | 90 days | 90 days | 90 days |
| Ivory Coast | permitted | prohibited | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Jamaica | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Japan | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | prohibited | 22 weeks | prohibited |
| Jordan | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Kazakhstan | no limit | no limit | 22 weeks | no limit | 22 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Kenya | permitted | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Kiribati | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Kosovo | no limit | no limit | 22 weeks | no limit | 10 weeks | 10 weeks |
| Kuwait | permitted | 4 months | prohibited | 4 months | prohibited | prohibited |
| Kyrgyzstan | no limit | no limit | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Laos | permitted | 28 weeks | 28 weeks | 28 weeks | 28 weeks | prohibited |
| Latvia | permitted | 24 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Lebanon | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Lesotho | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited |
| Liberia | 24 weeks | 24 weeks | 24 weeks | 24 weeks | prohibited | prohibited |
| Libya | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Liechtenstein | permitted | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Lithuania | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Luxembourg | no limit | no limit | 14 weeks | no limit | 14 weeks | 14 weeks |
| Madagascar | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Malawi | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Malaysia | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Maldives | no limit | prohibited | 120 days | 120 days | prohibited | prohibited |
| Mali | permitted | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Malta | viability | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Marshall Islands | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Mauritania | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Mauritius | no limit | no limit | 14 weeks | no limit | prohibited | prohibited |
| Mexico [subdivisions] | varies | varies | permitted | varies | varies | varies |
| Aguascalientes | 6 weeks | 6 weeks | no limit | no limit | 6 weeks | 6 weeks |
| Baja California | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Baja California Sur | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Campeche | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks |
| Chiapas | no limit | 12 weeks | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Chihuahua | no limit | no limit | 90 days | permitted | permitted | permitted |
| Coahuila | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | no limit | permitted | permitted |
| Colima | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Durango | no limit | prohibited | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Guanajuato | prohibited | prohibited | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Guerrero | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Hidalgo | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Jalisco | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Mexico City | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Mexico State | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Michoacán | no limit | permitted | no limit | permitted | no limit | 12 weeks |
| Morelos | no limit | permitted | no limit | no limit | permitted | permitted |
| Nayarit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Nuevo León | no limit | no limit | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Oaxaca | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Puebla | no limit | 12 weeks | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Querétaro | prohibited | prohibited | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Quintana Roo | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| San Luis Potosí | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Sinaloa | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 13 weeks | 13 weeks |
| Sonora | no limit | prohibited | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Tabasco | no limit | prohibited | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Tamaulipas | no limit | no limit | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Tlaxcala | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | prohibited | prohibited |
| Veracruz | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Yucatán | no limit | permitted | no limit | no limit | no limit | permitted |
| Zacatecas | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Micronesia | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Moldova | 21 weeks | 21 weeks | 21 weeks | 21 weeks | 21 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Monaco | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | no limit | prohibited | prohibited |
| Mongolia | 23 weeks | 23 weeks | permitted | permitted | 14 weeks | 14 weeks |
| Montenegro | 32 weeks | 32 weeks | 20 weeks | 20 weeks | 10 weeks | 10 weeks |
| Morocco | no limit | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Mozambique | no limit | no limit | 16 weeks | 24 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Myanmar | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Namibia | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited |
| Nauru | no limit | no limit | 20 weeks | 20 weeks | prohibited | prohibited |
| Nepal | 28 weeks | 28 weeks | 18 weeks | 28 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Netherlands | no limit | no limit | 24 weeks | no limit | 24 weeks | 24 weeks |
| New Zealand | 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 | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Abia | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Adamawa | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Akwa Ibom | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Anambra | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Bauchi | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Bayelsa | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Benue | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Borno | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Cross River | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Delta | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Ebonyi | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Edo | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Ekiti | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Enugu | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Federal Capital Territory | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Gombe | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Imo | permitted | prohibited | 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 | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Nasarawa | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Niger | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Ogun | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Ondo | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Osun | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Oyo | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Plateau | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Rivers | permitted | prohibited | 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 | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | 10 weeks |
| North Korea | permitted | permitted | unclear | permitted | unclear | unclear |
| North Macedonia | no limit | no limit | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Norway | no limit | no limit | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Oman | permitted | permitted | prohibited | 120 days | prohibited | prohibited |
| Pakistan | no limit | organ formation | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Palau | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Palestine | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Panama | no limit | prohibited | 2 months | 24 weeks | prohibited | prohibited |
| Papua New Guinea | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Paraguay | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Peru | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Philippines | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Poland | no limit | no limit | 13 weeks | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Portugal | no limit | no limit | 16 weeks | 24 weeks | 10 weeks | 10 weeks |
| Qatar | no limit | 4 months | prohibited | 4 months | prohibited | prohibited |
| Romania | no limit | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | 14 weeks |
| Russia | permitted | permitted | 22 weeks | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Rwanda | no limit | no limit | 22 weeks | no limit | prohibited | prohibited |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Saint Lucia | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | prohibited |
| Samoa | 20 weeks | 20 weeks | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| San Marino | viability | viability | viability | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | no limit | no limit | no limit | 16 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Saudi Arabia | no limit | 4 months | 40 days | 40 days | prohibited | prohibited |
| Senegal | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Serbia | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 10 weeks | 10 weeks |
| Seychelles | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | prohibited | prohibited |
| Sierra Leone | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Singapore | no limit | no limit | 24 weeks | 24 weeks | 24 weeks | 24 weeks |
| Slovakia | no limit | permitted | 12 weeks | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Slovenia | no limit | no limit | 10 weeks | 10 weeks | 10 weeks | 10 weeks |
| Solomon Islands | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Somalia | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| South Africa | no limit | 20 weeks | 20 weeks | no limit | 20 weeks | 12 weeks |
| South Korea | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted |
| South Ossetia | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | 22 weeks | 12 weeks |
| South Sudan | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Spain | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 14 weeks | 22 weeks | 14 weeks | 14 weeks |
| Sri Lanka | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Sudan | no limit | prohibited | 90 days | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Suriname | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Sweden | no limit | no limit | 18 weeks | 18 weeks | 18 weeks | 18 weeks |
| Switzerland | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Syria | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Taiwan | no limit | no limit | 24 weeks | no limit | 24 weeks | prohibited |
| Tajikistan | permitted | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Tanzania | no limit | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Thailand | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 20 weeks | 20 weeks |
| Togo | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited |
| Tonga | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Transnistria | no limit | no limit | 22 weeks | no limit | 22 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Trinidad and Tobago | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Tunisia | no limit | no limit | 3 months | no limit | 3 months | 3 months |
| Turkey | no limit | 10 weeks | 20 weeks | no limit | 10 weeks | 10 weeks |
| Turkmenistan | no limit | no limit | permitted | permitted | 22 weeks | 5 weeks |
| Tuvalu | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Uganda | 28 weeks | 28 weeks | 28 weeks | 28 weeks | prohibited | prohibited |
| Ukraine | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| United Arab Emirates | no limit | 120 days | 120 days | no limit | prohibited | prohibited |
| United Kingdom [subdivisions] | no limit | no limit | permitted | no limit | 24 weeks | varies |
| England | no limit | no limit | permitted | no limit | 24 weeks | prohibited |
| Northern Ireland | no limit | no limit | permitted | no limit | 24 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Scotland | no limit | no limit | permitted | no limit | 24 weeks | prohibited |
| Wales | no limit | no limit | permitted | no limit | 24 weeks | prohibited |
| United States [subdivisions] | no limit | varies | varies | varies | varies | varies |
| Alabama | no limit | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Alaska | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit |
| Arizona | no limit | no limit | viability | viability | viability | viability |
| Arkansas | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| California | no limit | no limit | viability | viability | viability | viability |
| Colorado | 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 | no limit | no limit | 15 weeks | 6 weeks | 6 weeks | 6 weeks |
| Georgia | no limit | no limit | 22 weeks | no limit | heartbeat | heartbeat |
| Hawaii | no limit | no limit | viability | viability | viability | viability |
| Idaho | no limit | no limit | 15 weeks | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Illinois | no limit | no limit | viability | viability | viability | viability |
| Indiana | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Iowa | no limit | no limit | 22 weeks | heartbeat | heartbeat | heartbeat |
| Kansas | no limit | no limit | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks |
| Kentucky | no limit | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Louisiana | no limit | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Maine | no limit | no limit | viability | viability | viability | viability |
| Maryland | no limit | no limit | viability | no limit | viability | viability |
| Massachusetts | no limit | no limit | 24 weeks | no limit | 24 weeks | 24 weeks |
| Michigan | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit |
| Minnesota | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit |
| Mississippi | no limit | prohibited | 20 weeks | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Missouri | no limit | no limit | viability | viability | viability | viability |
| Montana | no limit | no limit | viability | viability | viability | viability |
| Nebraska | no limit | no limit | 22 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Nevada | no limit | no limit | 24 weeks | 24 weeks | 24 weeks | 24 weeks |
| New Hampshire | 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 | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit |
| New York | no limit | no limit | 24 weeks | 24 weeks | 24 weeks | 24 weeks |
| North Carolina | no limit | no limit | 20 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| North Dakota | no limit | no limit | viability | viability | viability | viability |
| Ohio | no limit | no limit | viability | viability | viability | viability |
| Oklahoma | 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 | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | no limit | heartbeat | heartbeat |
| South Dakota | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Tennessee | no limit | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Texas | no limit | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Utah | no limit | no limit | no limit | 18 weeks | 18 weeks | 18 weeks |
| Vermont | 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 | no limit | no limit | viability | viability | viability | viability |
| West Virginia | no limit | no limit | 11 weeks | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Wisconsin | no limit | no limit | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks |
| Wyoming | no limit | no limit | viability | viability | viability | viability |
| Uruguay | no limit | no limit | 14 weeks | no limit | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Uzbekistan | permitted | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Vanuatu | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Vatican City | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Venezuela | 22 weeks | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Vietnam | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | 22 weeks |
| Yemen | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Zambia | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | prohibited |
| Zimbabwe | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | 22 weeks | prohibited | prohibited |

#### 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 | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | prohibited |
| American Samoa | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Anguilla | no limit | 28 weeks | prohibited | 28 weeks | prohibited | prohibited |
| Aruba | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Bermuda | permitted | permitted | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited |
| British Virgin Islands | no limit | 28 weeks | prohibited | 28 weeks | prohibited | prohibited |
| Cayman Islands | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Cook Islands | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Curaçao | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Falkland Islands | no limit | no limit | permitted | no limit | 24 weeks | prohibited |
| Faroe Islands | no limit | no limit | 16 weeks | 16 weeks | prohibited | prohibited |
| Gibraltar | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | no limit | 12 weeks | prohibited |
| Greenland | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks |
| Guam | no limit | no limit | 26 weeks | 26 weeks | 13 weeks | 13 weeks |
| Guernsey [subdivisions] | permitted | permitted | varies | varies | varies | prohibited |
| Alderney | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Guernsey | no limit | no limit | permitted | no limit | 24 weeks | prohibited |
| Sark | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Isle of Man | no limit | no limit | 23 weeks | no limit | 23 weeks | 14 weeks |
| Jersey | no limit | no limit | 12 weeks | 24 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Montserrat | no limit | viability | prohibited | viability | prohibited | prohibited |
| Niue | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Northern Mariana Islands | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Pitcairn Islands | no limit | no limit | permitted | no limit | 24 weeks | prohibited |
| Puerto Rico | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit | prohibited |
| Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha | no limit | no limit | permitted | no limit | 24 weeks | prohibited |
| Sint Maarten | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Tokelau | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | permitted | permitted | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited |
| United States Virgin Islands | 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).

### Countries with more restrictive laws

According to a report by Women on Waves, approximately 25% of the world's population 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. The Center for Reproductive Rights report that "[t]he inability to access safe and legal abortion care impacts 700 million women of reproductive age."
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.
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.

### 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. 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.

## 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.
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.
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.
Many 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

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. 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).
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.

## Judicial decisions

| 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. | Yes |
| 1952 | Canada | Azoulay v R | |
| 1969 | Victoria (Australia) | R v Davidson Abortion allowed in case of risk to life, and physical or mental health. | Yes |
| 1971 | United States | United States v. Vuitch | Restrictions upheld |
| 1971 | 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. | Yes |
| 1973 | United States | Roe v. Wade Abortion allowed on demand in the entire country. | Yes |
| 1975 | Germany | German Federal Constitutional Court abortion decision | Law restricted |
| 1976 | Canada | Morgentaler v R | Restrictions upheld |
| 1976 | United States | Planned Parenthood v. Danforth | Legalization upheld |
| 1979 | United States | Maher v. Roe | |
| 1979 | United States | Colautti v. Franklin | |
| 1980 | Puerto Rico | Pueblo v. Duarte Application of Roe v. Wade to Puerto Rico. | Yes |
| 1980 | United States | Harris v. McRae | |
| 1981 | United States | H. L. v. Matheson | Restrictions upheld |
| 1981 | Israel | A. v. B. Paternal consent not required. | Yes |
| 1983 | United States | City of Akron v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health | Yes |
| 1986 | United States | Thornburgh v. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists | |
| 1988 | Canada | R v Morgentaler | Yes |
| 1989 | Canada | Borowski v Canada (AG) | |
| 1989 | United States | Webster v. Reproductive Health Services | Restrictions upheld |
| 1989 | Canada | Tremblay v Daigle | Yes |
| 1990 | United States | Hodgson v. Minnesota | Yes |
| 1991 | United States | Rust v. Sullivan | |
| 1992 | Ireland | Attorney General v X Abortion allowed in case of risk to life, including risk of suicide. | Yes |
| 1992 | United States | Planned Parenthood v. Casey | Yes |
| 1993 | United States | Bray v. Alexandria Women's Health Clinic | |
| 1993 | Germany | 2 BvF 2/90 | |
| 1993 | 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. | Yes |
| 1997 | Poland | K 26/96 Abortion for economic or social reasons ruled unconstitutional. | Law restricted |
| 1997 | 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 | |
| 2000 | United States | Stenberg v. Carhart Supreme Court struck down Nebraska's partial-birth abortion ban. | Yes |
| 2001 | Argentina | T., S. v. Government of Buenos Aires City | Yes |
| 2003 | United States | Scheidler v. National Organization for Women | |
| 2006 | United States | Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England | |
| 2006 | United States | Scheidler v. National Organization for Women | |
| 2006 | United States | Gonzales v. Carhart Supreme Court upheld the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003. | Restrictions upheld |
| 2006 | Colombia | Constitutional Court allowed abortion in case of danger to woman's life or health, rape, and fetal deformation. | Yes |
| 2006 | Council of Europe | D v Ireland | |
| 2006 | New South Wales (Australia) | R v Sood | |
| 2007 | Council of Europe | Tysiąc v Poland | |
| 2007 | Slovakia | Constitutional Court ruled law allowing abortion on demand constitutional. | Legalization upheld |
| 2008 | Nepal | Achyut Kharel v. Government of Nepal | |
| 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 |
| 2009 | Nepal | Lakshmi v. Government of Nepal Supreme Court upheld and expanded legal abortion. | Yes |
| 2011 | United Kingdom | British Pregnancy Advisory Service v Secretary of State for Health | |
| 2012 | Argentina | F., A. L. Abortion allowed in case of rape of any woman, regardless of her mental health. | Yes |
| 2012 | Brazil | ADPF 54 Abortion allowed in case of anencephaly. | Yes |
| 2012 | Council of Europe | P. and S. v. Poland | |
| 2013 | El Salvador | Case of "Beatriz" | |
| 2014 | Bolivia | Ruling 0206/2014 | |
| 2014 | Ireland | P.P. v. Health Service Executive | |
| 2015 | Dominican Republic | Constitutional Court ruled law allowing abortion in certain cases unconstitutional. | Law restricted |
| 2015 | Rwanda | RPA 0787/15/HC/KIG | |
| 2016 | United States | Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt | Yes |
| 2016 | United Nations | Mellet v Ireland | |
| 2017 | Chile | Constitutional Court ruled law allowing abortion in certain cases constitutional. | Yes |
| 2017 | Croatia | Constitutional Court ruled law allowing abortion on demand constitutional. | Legalization upheld |
| 2018 | United Kingdom | Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission v Department of Justice | |
| 2019 | South Korea | Abortion allowed on request. Decision took effect in 2021. | Yes |
| 2019 | Australia | Clubb v Edwards | |
| 2019 | Kenya | FIDA-Kenya and Others v. Attorney General and Others Abortion allowed in case of rape. | Yes |
| 2020 | Poland | K 1/20 Abortion in case of fetal deformity ruled unconstitutional. The decision was implemented on 27 January 2021. | Law restricted |
| 2020 | Thailand | Ruling No. 4/2563 | |
| 2020 | Colombia | Constitutional Court ruled law allowing abortion in certain cases constitutional rejecting both total ban and legalization. | Law upheld |
| 2021 | Ecuador | Abortion allowed in case of rape of any woman, regardless of her mental health. | Yes |
| 2021 | Mexico | Deadlines in case of pregnancy after rape ruled unconstitutional. | Yes |
| 2021 | Mexico | Penalties for abortion ruled unconstitutional. | Yes |
| 2021 | Inter-American Court of Human Rights | Manuela and Others v. El Salvador | |
| 2021 | United States | United States v. Texas | Restrictions upheld |
| 2021 | United States | Whole Woman's Health v. Jackson | Restrictions upheld |
| 2022 | Colombia | Constitutional Court decriminalized abortion up to 24 weeks of gestation. | Yes |
| 2022 | 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 |
| 2022 | India | Abortion allowed under the same criteria regardless of marital status. | Yes |
| 2023 | Mexico | Abortion allowed at federal health facilities anywhere in the country. | Yes |