page_title: Abortion law
section_title: National laws
hierarchical_section_title: Abortion law / National laws
caption_attribution_description: Español: Imágenes de la vigilia por la votación de la Ley de Interrupción Voluntaria del Embarazo - 8A en la ciudad de Paraná, Entre Ríos. English: Surveillance for the bill votation of voluntary termination of pregnancy in Argentina. Paraná city, Entre Ríos province. 8A.
context_page_description: Abortion law permits, prohibits, restricts, or otherwise regulates the availability of abortion. Abortion has been a controversial subject in many societies throughout history on religious, moral, ethical, practical, and political grounds. It has been banned frequently and otherwise limited by law. However, abortions continue to be common in many areas, even where they are illegal. According to 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 WHO, the number of abortions worldwide is declining due to increased access to contraception. Almost two-thirds of the world's women currently reside in countries where abortion may be obtained on request for a broad range of social, economic, or personal reasons. Abortion laws vary widely by country. Three countries in Latin America and two in Europe have banned abortions entirely, but life-saving abortions are allowed in Malta in practice.
context_section_description: While abortions are legal under certain conditions in most countries, these conditions vary widely. According to the United Nations publication World Abortion Policies 2013,
  abortion is allowed in most countries (97 percent) in order to save a woman's life. Other commonly-accepted reasons are preserving physical (68 percent) or mental health (65 percent). In about half of countries abortion is accepted in the case of rape or incest (51 percent), and in case of fetal impairment (50 percent). Performing an abortion because of economic or social reasons is accepted in 35 percent of countries. Performing abortion only on the basis of a woman's request is allowed in 30 percent of countries, including in the US, Canada, most European countries, and China, with 42 percent of the world's population living in such countries.
  In some countries, additional procedures must be followed before the abortion can be carried out even if the basic grounds for it are met. For example, in Finland, where abortions are not granted based merely on a woman's request, approval for each abortion must be obtained from two doctors (or one in special circumstances). The majority, 90% of abortions in Finland are performed for socio-economic reasons. How strictly all of the procedures dictated in the legislature are followed in practice is another matter. For example, in the United Kingdom 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.
  The effect of national laws as of 2013 for each of the 193 member states of the United Nations and two non-member States (Vatican City and Niue) is listed in the UN World Abortion Policies 2013 report, and summarized in the following table. The publication includes information on national estimates of abortion rate, fertility rate, maternal mortality ratio, levels of contraceptive use, unmet need for family planning, and government support for family planning, as well as regional estimates of unsafe abortion.
  The source cited in support of this table contains additional information and/or clarifications regarding some listed countries. It is a United Nations source dated 2013. This table contains some updates to account for subsequent developments, citing later sources in support.
  To save a woman's life
  To preserve a woman's physical health
  To preserve a woman's mental health
  See Abortion in South Sudan.
  See Abortion in Chad
  England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland together comprise the United Kingdom; details vary between them. See Abortion in the United Kingdom
  Varies by state. See Abortion in Mexico.
  See Abortion in Chile
  Varies by state. See Abortion in the United States by state
  Varies by state. See Abortion in Australia.
caption: Supporter of legalized abortion at a rally in Paraná, Argentina
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