Norwegian government to review abortion laws
A committee has been appointed to assess Norway’s abortion laws and aftercare, and to look at the possibility of allowing women to terminate pregnancies up to the end of week 18, the government announced Wednesday.
Norway’s abortion laws could be set to change after the government announced a committee has been appointed to look into the possibility of women being able to choose to end the pregnancy up to week 18, and investigate where aftercare can be improved.
“For many women, terminating a pregnancy is a difficult choice. Therefore, they must receive good professional support in the time before, during, and after (the abortion). Such important issues cannot be the subject of political horse-trading,” Health Minister Ingvild Kjerkol said at a press conference.
Under current rules, women can freely choose to terminate a pregnancy until week 12. If they want an abortion after week 12, the termination must be approved by a medical board.
Women can only have an abortion approved by a board up until the end of week 18. The board consists of two doctors, and women may end the pregnancy between weeks 12 and 18 if care for the child would place an unreasonable burden on the child, there is a risk the child will have a severe illness, if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest, or is the woman is seriously ill or mentally incapable.
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The committee’s investigation into the Abortion Act will take around 18 months. The committee will also look into how to improve aftercare for those who have an abortion. Kari Sønderland, lawyer and former head of operations at the Ministry of Health and Care Services, will chair the committee
Health spokesperson for the Centre Party, which is part of the coalition government with Labour, Hans Inge Myrvold, said that he was happy for the committee to look at the country’s abortion laws but that the party wants to keep the current limit of 12 weeks.
“The Center Party wants to continue with the current primary limit in abortion legislation, with self-determined abortion up to 12 weeks,” the spokesperson told public broadcaster NRK.
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Norway’s abortion laws could be set to change after the government announced a committee has been appointed to look into the possibility of women being able to choose to end the pregnancy up to week 18, and investigate where aftercare can be improved.
“For many women, terminating a pregnancy is a difficult choice. Therefore, they must receive good professional support in the time before, during, and after (the abortion). Such important issues cannot be the subject of political horse-trading,” Health Minister Ingvild Kjerkol said at a press conference.
Under current rules, women can freely choose to terminate a pregnancy until week 12. If they want an abortion after week 12, the termination must be approved by a medical board.
Women can only have an abortion approved by a board up until the end of week 18. The board consists of two doctors, and women may end the pregnancy between weeks 12 and 18 if care for the child would place an unreasonable burden on the child, there is a risk the child will have a severe illness, if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest, or is the woman is seriously ill or mentally incapable.
READ ALSO: How to switch GPs in Norway
The committee’s investigation into the Abortion Act will take around 18 months. The committee will also look into how to improve aftercare for those who have an abortion. Kari Sønderland, lawyer and former head of operations at the Ministry of Health and Care Services, will chair the committee
Health spokesperson for the Centre Party, which is part of the coalition government with Labour, Hans Inge Myrvold, said that he was happy for the committee to look at the country’s abortion laws but that the party wants to keep the current limit of 12 weeks.
“The Center Party wants to continue with the current primary limit in abortion legislation, with self-determined abortion up to 12 weeks,” the spokesperson told public broadcaster NRK.
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