Abortion in France

Abortion in France is legal when asked for until 14 weeks after conception, which is 16 weeks after the pregnant woman's last menstrual period). Abortions at later stages of pregnancy up until birth are allowed if two physicians agree that the abortion will be done to prevent harm to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman or a risk to the life of the pregnant woman, or that the child will have a very bad illness that has no cure.

21st century changes
Several reforms happened in the 21st century, making access to abortion easier. The ten-week limit was extended to fourteen weeks in 2022. Since 2001, minors do not need parental consent. A pregnant girl under the age of 18 can ask for an abortion without asking her parents first if she is brought to the clinic by an adult that she chose. That adult must not tell her parents or anyone else about the abortion.

After the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, Mathilde Panot, French MP and President of the La France insoumise parliamentary group, submitted a bill to the French National Assembly. It was made to protect the right to a safe abortion for women in the French Constitution. It passed on a 337–32 vote on 24 November 2023. In January 2024, the National Assembly voted in favor of the constitutional amendment 433-30. For the amendment to be added to the constitution, it then passed through the Senate by a 267-50 vote in February.

On 4 March 2024, Parliament amended Article 34 in a 780 to 72 vote. This amendment made France, as of when the amendment passed, the only nation to guarantee the right to an abortion in the constitution. The amendment describes abortion as a "guaranteed freedom".

References

Category:Healthcare in France
 France
France