Abortion
Abortion is a medical procedure that a doctor performs to terminate your pregnancy.
Abortion can only take place under certain conditions. Before you can get an abortion, you have to attend a counselling session at the abortion clinic.
Counselling
A health professional talks with you about your situation, the different options, the financial and social help available and methods of contraception.
There is a legal reflection period of 6 days after this session. The abortion is performed after this reflection period. You have the right to decide whether you continue or terminate the pregnancy. The health professional helps you to reach a decision on your own.
Methods of abortion
There are 2 methods of abortion:
- abortion pill:
Until 7 weeks of pregnancy (9 weeks after the 1st day of your last menstrual period)
You have to take 1 pill at the abortion clinic. Then you can go home. You have to come back another day to take other pills.
The abortion pill causes a miscarriage. You may already lose a little blood. - suction curettage:
Until 12 weeks of pregnancy (14 weeks after the 1st day of your last menstrual period)
The doctor gives you a local anaesthetic in the cervix.
The doctor sucks out the contents of the uterus with a small tube.
A woman can have an abortion without the consent of her partner.
A woman under 18 years of age can have an abortion, in most cases without her parents having to know. She does not need consent from her parents.
Emergency solution
After an abortion, a woman can still become pregnant.
Abortion is not a method of contraception. It is a solution in case of emergency.
Price of an abortion
You pay € 3.80 (personal contribution) for an abortion at an abortion clinic if you are a member of a health insurance fund. The health insurance fund pays the rest. An abortion at a hospital is more expensive.
Some people have a right to increased reimbursement or urgent medical care.
Talking to someone after an abortion
An abortion can be a stressful event. If you want to talk about it, you can contact a health professional. For instance, your family doctor or Fara (contact details: see bottom of this page).