Roe v. Wade: 10 Countries Where Abortion is Completely Legal

The U.S. Supreme Court recently overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade case, ending nearly 50 years of constitutional protections for abortion. The ruling has however received condemnation from supporters of abortion rights. Almost half of the states in the country are expected to outlaw or severely restrict abortion as a result of the Supreme Court’s decision.  In commiseration with women in the United States, we have compiled a list of 10 countries in the world, where abortion is completely legal.

It is imperative to note that Laws regarding abortion are diverse. Most countries where abortion is legal have what is known as a gestational limit, which means a fetus or embryo can be aborted early in the pregnancy, but cannot be aborted once it reaches a certain stage of development.

In some other countries, abortion is legal if the pregnancy is the result of rape, incest, or if the fetus has a noticeable developmental impairment.  Some countries also consider abortion illegal unless it saves the mother’s life or preserves her health during pregnancy.

With that being stated, here is a compilation of 10 countries in the world, where abortion is completely legal.

1. Canada

Abortions are completely legal in Canada and require no legally compelling reason (such as rape or health risks) so long as they take place before the gestational limit, which ranges from 12 weeks to “24 weeks + 6 days” depending upon province and territory. Abortions were banned in most cases until the year 1988 when the Canadian Supreme Court reversed the laws that once made abortions illegal.

2. Russia

Abortion is completely legal up to the 12th week of pregnancy in Russia, as well as up to 22 weeks in cases of rape and at any point if the pregnancy threatens the life of the mother. Russia actually made abortion legal for any reason in 1920, making it the first country to do so. Although a broad ban was reinstated in 1936, that ban was lifted in 1955 and abortion access has remained open ever since.

3. Australia

Australia is one of the countries where abortion is completely legal. The act was fully decriminalised in all jurisdictions, starting with Western Australia in 1998 and lastly in South Australia in 2021. Access to abortion varies between the states and territories: surgical abortions are readily available on request within the first 16 to 24 weeks of pregnancy, although with no limit on the gestational term in the Australian Capital Territory.

4. Belgium

Belgium is one of the countries where abortion is completely legal until 12 weeks after conception (14 weeks after the last menstrual period) It was completely legalised on 4 April 1990. The woman is however required to receive counselling at least six days prior to the abortion and to check in with her doctor to monitor her health in the weeks after the procedure. Late abortions are also  permitted if there is a risk to the woman’s life or if the fetus shows risks of birth defects

5. Spain

Abortions are completely legal in Spain upon request up to 14 weeks of pregnancy, and at later stages for serious risk to the health of the woman or fetal defects. It was first legalized in the country in the 1930s, but this was short-lived, as the Franco regime, with support of the Catholic Church, outlawed abortion again. It was partially legalized in 1985 and completely in 2010. Abortion however remains a controversial political issue in Spain, but regular moves to restrict it have lacked majority support.

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6. Sweden

Abortion was first legalized in Sweden in 1938 on the basis of the pregnancy constituting a serious threat to the woman’s life or if she had been impregnated by rape.  The law was later augmented in 1946 to include socio-medical grounds and again in 1963 to include the risk of serious fetal damage. However, in 1974 a new law was created stating that the choice of an abortion is entirely up to the woman until the end of the 18th week.

7. Switzerland

Switzerland is one of the countries where abortion is completely legal.  It was legalized by popular vote in 2002 after its criminal prohibition had ceased to be observed in practice for some time. The act is legal during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy, for women who state that they are in distress. It is also legal with medical indications – the threat of severe physical or psychological damage to the woman – at any later time.

8. Singapore

Abortion was legalised in Singapore in 1969 under five conditions. It was one of the first countries in the Asia-Pacific to do so. Prior to this, it was only legal when a woman’s health was endangered by the pregnancy. It was however completely legalized in 1974 and the five circumstances in which a termination of pregnancy would be granted were removed, allowing the treatment on request.

9. Norway

Norway is one of the few countries in the world, where abortion is completely legal. Current Norwegian legislation and public health policy provide for abortion on request in the first 12 weeks of gestation, by application up to the 18th week, and thereafter only under special circumstances until the fetus is viable, which is usually presumed at 21 weeks and 6 days. The legislation was passed in 1978 after several years of activism.

10. The Netherlands

Abortion was completely legalized in the Netherlands on November 1, 1984, allowing abortions to be done on-demand up to the 24th week of the pregnancy. Abortion for “serious medical reasons” can be performed after 24 weeks. Prior to this, abortion was only allowed when a woman’s health was endangered by the pregnancy. Currently, there are just over 100 Dutch general hospitals certified to perform abortions, and 17 specialized abortion clinics.