Kara Sears
Abortion laws vary widely across the world, from abortion being freely available on request, to regulation or restrictions of various kinds, to outright prohibition in all circumstances. In some places, abortion is illegal, and those convicted of breaking the law could face 3 to 15 years in prison, as well as up to $10,000 in fines. In other places, abortion is legal, but there are gestational limits for the procedure depending on the reason. For example, the majority of countries that allow abortion on request set a limit of up to 12 weeks, up to 24 weeks for rape, incest, or socioeconomic reasons, and more for fetal impairment or risk to the woman's health or life.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Punishments for breaking abortion law | 3 to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines |
| Abortion laws in the US | Vary by state since Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2022 |
| Abortion laws worldwide | Range from freely available on request to outright prohibition in all circumstances |
| Gestational limits for abortion | Majority of countries that allow abortion on request have a limit of 12 weeks, 24 weeks for rape, incest, or socioeconomic reasons, and more for fetal impairment or risk to the woman's health |
| Countries that allow abortion on request or for socioeconomic reasons | 60% of the world's population as of 2022 |
| Countries that prohibit specific methods of abortion | Dilation and extraction (D&X) and dilation and evacuation (D&E) procedures are commonly prohibited |
| Reasons for abortion that are prohibited | Sex, race, and genetic anomaly |
| Criminalisation of self-managed abortions | Some states criminalise people who end their pregnancies outside of a healthcare setting |
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What You'll Learn
Abortion laws by state
Abortion laws vary widely among countries and territories, and have changed over time. In the US, abortion laws by state are now in the hands of each state following the overturn of Roe v. Wade by the US Supreme Court in June 2022.
Since Roe was overturned, 12 states have enacted near-total abortion bans, while four states – Georgia, South Carolina, Florida and Iowa – have banned abortion past roughly six weeks of pregnancy. Other states have enacted laws or held ballot referendums to protect abortion rights. Abortion is protected by state law in 21 states and the District of Columbia and is at risk of being severely limited or prohibited in others.
Some states criminalise people who self-manage their abortion, i.e., end their pregnancies outside of a healthcare setting. Laws that prohibit a specific method of abortion care, most commonly dilation and extraction (D&X) procedures and dilation and evacuation (D&E) procedures, are also in place. Laws that prohibit abortion if sought or potentially sought for a particular reason are also in place. These bans typically name sex, race, and genetic anomaly as prohibited reasons.
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 foetal 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.
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Gestational limits
Abortion laws vary widely among countries and territories, and have changed over time. Many countries and territories that allow abortion have gestational limits for the procedure depending on the reason.
In some countries, the gestational limit for abortion on request is longer. For example, some countries allow abortion on request up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. This means that a person can request an abortion for any reason up until 24 weeks of pregnancy.
There are also countries that have more restrictive gestational limits for abortion. For example, some countries only allow abortion up to a certain number of weeks in cases of rape, incest, or socioeconomic reasons. These limits are usually shorter than the limits for abortion on request, and may be up to 24 weeks or less.
In addition, some countries have gestational limits that are longer in cases where there is a fetal impairment or a risk to the woman's health or life. These limits may be more flexible and allow for abortion beyond the standard gestational limits in order to protect the health and well-being of the pregnant person. Overall, gestational limits play a significant role in abortion laws and vary depending on the specific circumstances and location.
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International human rights 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.
In the US, abortion laws vary by state. Some states criminalise people who self-manage their abortion, i.e. end their pregnancies outside of a healthcare setting. Laws also prohibit specific methods of abortion care, most commonly dilation and extraction (D&X) procedures and dilation and evacuation (D&E) procedures.
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Bans on specific methods
In some cases, laws may prohibit abortion if it is sought for a particular reason, such as the sex or race of the foetus. However, there is no evidence that pregnant people are seeking abortion care because of the sex or race of their foetus. Some states in the US criminalise people who self-manage their abortion outside of a healthcare setting.
Access to abortion is a human right, according to Amnesty International. The right to get an abortion is connected to many of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, such as the right to nondiscrimination and the right to be free from torture.
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Bans on reasons for abortion
Some countries have laws that prohibit abortion if it is sought or potentially sought for a particular reason. These bans typically name sex, race, and genetic anomaly as prohibited reasons. However, there is no evidence that pregnant people are seeking abortion care because of the sex or race of their fetus. Some states also criminalize people who self-manage their abortion, i.e., end their pregnancies outside of a health care setting.
In the United States, abortion policies and reproductive rights are in the hands of each state following the overturn of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2022. This has resulted in a range of abortion laws by state, from expanded access to illegal.
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Frequently asked questions
Abortion laws vary widely among countries and territories, and have changed over time. Some countries and territories prohibit abortion outright, while others allow it with gestational limits.
Anyone convicted of breaking the law could face 3 to 15 years in prison, as well as up to $10,000 in fines.
There are laws that prohibit specific methods of abortion care, most commonly dilation and extraction (D&X) and dilation and evacuation (D&E) procedures. There are also laws that prohibit abortion if sought for a particular reason, such as sex, race, or genetic anomaly. Some states criminalize people who self-manage their abortion outside of a healthcare setting.
After Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2022, abortion policies and reproductive rights are now in the hands of each state. States can be categorized as Expanded Access, Protected, Not Protected, Hostile, or Illegal when it comes to abortion laws.
