Abortion has been a controversial subject throughout history due to the moral and ethical issues that surround it. It has been regularly banned and otherwise limited, though abortions have continued to be commonplace in many areas where it is illegal. Almost 2/3 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, ranging from Malta, which bans abortion entirely, to Canada, which places no restrictions on the provision of abortion whatsoever. Both supporters and opponents of legal abortion believe their position addresses a fundamental human right. The rights of the father are being given more recognition in the decision whether or not to terminate a pregnancy in places where it is legal.

Contents

1 History 2 Related Topics 3 Current Status 3.1 Legend

History

Abortion and contraception have been widely available throughout the history of Western Civilization, despite ethical concerns. Plato and Aristotle both argued in favor of compulsory abortion under certain circumstances, though Hippocrates expressly disapproved of the practice. Under Roman law, life was said to begin at birth. Abortions were thus legal, though regulated to protect the rights of the father. References to abortion were included in the writings of Ovid, Seneca, Juvenal and Pliny, who included a list of abortifacients (drugs that induce an abortion) in one text. Early Christian philosophers, including St. Augustine, Ivo of Chartres and Gratian, disapproved of abortion when it broke the link between the sexual act and procreation, but argued that abortion of what Ivo termed an 'unformed embryo' did not constitute homicide.

Religious authorities have taken various positions on abortion throughout history (see Religion and abortion). In 1588, Pope Sixtus V adopted a papal bull adopting the position of St. Thomas Aquinas that contraception and abortion were crimes against nature and sins against marriage. This verdict was relaxed three years later by Pope Gregory XIV, who pronounced that abortion before 'hominization' should not be subject to church penalties that were any stricter than civil penalties. Common law positions on abortion in individual countries varied significantly from country to country. English common law considered abortions before 'quickening' - when the movements of the fetus could first be felt by the mother - to be morally and legally acceptable.

Many Western countries began to make abortion illegal in the 19th century. Anti-abortion forces were led by a combination of conservative groups opposed to abortion on moral grounds and medical professionals who were concerned about the danger presented by the procedure and the regular involvement of non-medical personnel in performing abortions.

It became clear in the following years, however, that illegal abortions continued to take place in large numbers even where abortions were expressly illegal. It was difficult to obtain sufficient evidence to prosecute the mothers and doctors, and judges and juries were often reluctant to convict. For instance: Dr. Henry Morgentaler was never convicted by a jury. 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 early 20th century, many countries had begun to legalize abortions when performed to protect the life of the mother, and in some cases to protect the health of the mother. Under Vladimir Lenin, the Soviet Union legalized all abortions in 1920, but this was fully reversed in 1936 by Joseph Stalin in order to increase population growth. Iceland was the first Western country to legalize therapeutic abortion under limited circumstances, doing so in 1935, and the earliest country to do so without recriminalizing it later. Only a handful of countries - mostly in Scandinavia decriminalized abortion before Britain in 1967. Others soon followed, including Canada (1969), the United States (1973 in most states), France (1975), West Germany (1976), New Zealand (1977), Italy (1978) and the Netherlands (1980).

Related Topics

• Abortion
• Abortion in Australia
• Abortion in Brazil
• Abortion in Canada
• Abortion in Chile
• Abortion in Finland
• Abortion in France
• Abortion in Germany
• Abortion in Ireland
• Abortion in the Netherlands
• Abortion in New Zealand
• Abortion in Sweden
• Abortion in the United Kingdom
• Abortion in the United States
• History of abortion
• Mexico City Policy
• Morality and legality of abortion
• Religion and abortion
• Roe v. Wade
• Roe effect

Current Status

The following is a table of the current state of abortion law by individual countries. Actual access to abortions may vary significantly on the basis of geography, income and cost, health care, social factors, and other issues. Many jurisdictions also place other restrictions on abortion access, including waiting periods, the provision of information, the assent of multiple doctors and spousal or parental notification.

Legend

• Yes - Legal
• No - Illegal
• * - Legal during 1st trimester only (exact date may vary)
• # - Legal during 1st and 2nd trimester only (exact date may vary)
• Restricted - Legal but subject to significant restrictions
• Varies - Varies by region
•  ? - Information is unavailable or the law is too ambiguous

Country	To Protect Mother's Life	Physical Health	Mental Health	Rape	Fetal Defects	Socio-economic factors	On Demand
Afghanistan	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Albania	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Algeria	Yes	#	#	No	No	No	No
Andorra	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Angola	*	No	No	No	No	No	No
Antigua	*	No	No	No	No	No	No
Argentina	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	No	No	No
Armenia	#	#	#	#	#	#	*
Australia	Yes	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies
Austria	Yes	Yes	Yes	*	Yes	*	*
Azerbaijan	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	*
Bahamas	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	No	No
Bahrain	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bangladesh	Yes	*	*	*	*	*	*
Barbados	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Country	To Protect Mother's Life	Physical Health	Mental Health	Rape	Fetal Defects	Socio-economic factors	On Demand
Belarus	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Belgium	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Belize	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Benin	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Bhutan	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Bolivia	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	No	No	No
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Botswana	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Brazil	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
Brunei	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Bulgaria	Yes	#	*	*	Yes	*	*
Burkina Faso	Yes	Yes	Yes	*	Yes	No	No
Burundi	Yes	Yes	?	No	No	No	No
Cambodia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cameroon	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	No	No	No
Country	To Protect Mother's Life	Physical Health	Mental Health	Rape	Fetal Defects	Socio-economic factors	On Demand
Canada	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cape Verde	Yes	Yes	Yes	*	Yes	*	*
Central African Republic	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Chad	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Chile	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
China	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Colombia	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Comoros	Yes	Yes	?	No	No	No	No
Congo (Brazzaville)	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Congo (Kinshasa)	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Cook Islands	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Costa Rica	Yes	Yes	?	No	No	No	No
Croatia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cuba	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cyprus	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	No
Country	To Protect Mother's Life	Physical Health	Mental Health	Rape	Fetal Defects	Socio-economic factors	On Demand
Czech Republic	#	#	*	*	#	*	*
Denmark	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Djibouti	Yes	?	?	No	No	No	No
Dominica	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Dominican Republic	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Ecuador	Yes	Yes	?	Restricted	No	No	No
Egypt	Restricted	No	No	No	No	No	No
El Salvador	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Equatorial Guinea	Yes	Yes	?	No	No	No	No
Eritrea	Yes	Yes	?	No	No	No	No
Estonia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ethiopia	Yes	Yes	?	No	No	No	No
Fiji	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	Yes	No
Finland	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
France	Yes	Yes	Yes	*	Yes	*	*
Country	To Protect Mother's Life	Physical Health	Mental Health	Rape	Fetal Defects	Socio-economic factors	On Demand
Gabon	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Gambia	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Georgia	#	#	#	#	#	#	*
Germany	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ghana	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Greece	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Grenada	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Guatemala	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Guinea-Bissau	Yes	*	*	*	*	*	*
Guyana	Yes	*	*	*	*	*	*
Haiti	Yes	?	No	?	?	No	No
Honduras	Restricted	No	No	No	No	No	No
Hungary	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Iceland	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
India	Yes	Yes	#	#	#	#	No
Country	To Protect Mother's Life	Physical Health	Mental Health	Rape	Fetal Defects	Socio-economic factors	On Demand
Indonesia	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Iran	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Iraq	Restricted	No	No	No	Restricted	No	No
Ireland	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Israel	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Italy	Yes	Yes	Yes	*	Yes	*	*
Jamaica	Restricted	Restricted	Restricted	No	No	No	No
Japan	#	#	#	#	#	#	No
Jordan	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Kazakhstan	#	#	#	#	#	#	*
Kenya	Restricted	Restricted	Restricted	No	No	No	No
Kiribati	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Kuwait	Restricted	Restricted	Restricted	No	Restricted	No	No
Kyrgyzstan	#	#	#	#	#	#	*
Laos	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Country	To Protect Mother's Life	Physical Health	Mental Health	Rape	Fetal Defects	Socio-economic factors	On Demand
Latvia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Lebanon	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Lesotho	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Liberia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Libya	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Liechtenstein	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Lithuania	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Luxembourg	Restricted	Restricted	Restricted	Restricted	Restricted	Restricted	No
Macedonia (F.Y.R.)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Madagascar	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Malawi	Restricted	No	No	No	No	No	No
Malaysia	*	*	*	No	No	No	No
Maldives	Restricted	Restricted	No	No	No	No	No
Mali	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Malta	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Country	To Protect Mother's Life	Physical Health	Mental Health	Rape	Fetal Defects	Socio-economic factors	On Demand
Marshall Islands	Restricted	No	No	No	No	No	No
Mauritania	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Mauritius	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Mexico	*	No	No	*	No	No	No
Micronesia	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Moldova	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	*
Monaco	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Mongolia	Restricted	Restricted	*	*	*	*	*
Morocco	*	*	*	No	No	No	No
Mozambique	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
Myanmar	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Namibia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Nauru	Restricted	Restricted	Restricted	No	No	No	No
Nepal	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Netherlands	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Country	To Protect Mother's Life	Physical Health	Mental Health	Rape	Fetal Defects	Socio-economic factors	On Demand
Nicaragua	Yes	?	No	No	No	No	No
Niger	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Nigeria	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Niue	Yes	?	?	No	No	No	No
North Korea	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Norway	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Oman	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Pakistan	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Palau	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Panama	Yes	Yes	No	*	Yes	No	No
Papua New Guinea	*	*	*	No	No	No	No
Paraguay	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Peru	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Philippines	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Poland	Yes	Yes	*	*	*	No	No
Country	To Protect Mother's Life	Physical Health	Mental Health	Rape	Fetal Defects	Socio-economic factors	On Demand
Portugal	*	*	*	*	*	No	No
Qatar	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Restricted	No	No
Romania	Yes	Yes	*	*	*	*	*
Russia	#	#	#	#	#	#	*
Rwanda	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Saint Kitts	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Saint Lucia	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Samoa	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
San Marino	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
São Tomé and Príncipe	*	No	No	No	No	No	No
Saudi Arabia	Restricted	Restricted	Restricted	No	No	No	No
Senegal	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Serbia and Montenegro	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Seychelles	*	*	*	*	*	No	No
Country	To Protect Mother's Life	Physical Health	Mental Health	Rape	Fetal Defects	Socio-economic factors	On Demand
Sierra Leone	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Singapore	Yes	Yes	Yes	#	#	#	#
Slovakia	#	#	*	#	#	*	*
Slovenia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Solomon Islands	Restricted	No	No	No	No	No	No
Somalia	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
South Africa	#	#	#	#	#	#	*
South Korea	Restricted	Restricted	Restricted	Restricted	Restricted	Restricted	Restricted
Spain	Yes	Yes	Yes	*	#	No	No
Sri Lanka	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Sudan	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
Suriname	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Swaziland	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Sweden	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Switzerland	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Country	To Protect Mother's Life	Physical Health	Mental Health	Rape	Fetal Defects	Socio-economic factors	On Demand
Syria	Restricted	No	No	No	No	No	No
Tajikistan	#	#	#	#	#	#	*
Tanzania	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Thailand	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Togo	*	?	?	?	?	No	No
Tonga	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Trinidad and Tobago	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Tunisia	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Turkey	Restricted	Restricted	Restricted	*	Restricted	*	*
Turkmenistan	#	#	#	#	#	#	*
Tuvalu	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
United Arab Emirates	Restricted	No	No	No	No	No	No
Uganda	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Ukraine	#	#	#	#	#	#	*
United Kingdom	#	#	#	No	#	#	No
Country	To Protect Mother's Life	Physical Health	Mental Health	Rape	Fetal Defects	Socio-economic factors	On Demand
United States	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Varies
Uruguay	Yes	Yes	*	*	No	*	No
Uzbekistan	#	#	#	#	#	#	*
Vanuatu	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Vatican City	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Venezuela	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Vietnam	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Yemen	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Zambia	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Zimbabwe	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
Country	To Protect Mother's Life	Physical Health	Mental Health	Rape	Fetal Defects	Socio-economic factors	On Demand