Abortion in the Netherlands

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Abortion in the Netherlands was deemed illegal under the Penal Code of 1886. Convictions were all but precluded, however, by a requirement that the prosecution prove that the fetus had been alive until the abortion. The Morality Acts of 1911 closed this loophole and strictly barred all abortions except those performed to save the life of the pregnant woman.

Legalization reached the forefront of public debate in the Netherlands during the 1970s as many other Western European countries liberalized their laws. The Staten-Generaal, however, was unable to reach a consensus between those opposing legalization, those in favor of allowing abortion on demand and those favoring a compromise measure. A far-reaching, controversial abortion law was passed in 1981 that left abortion a crime, but excludes physicians from prosecution when the woman who is asking for the abortion declares she considers it an emergency situation.

In the Netherlands, abortion is allowed on demand at any point between conception and viability, subject to counseling and a five-day waiting period. In practice, abortions are performed until approximately 24 weeks into pregnancy, although this limit is the topic of ongoing discussion among physicians in the Netherlands, since nowadays a fetus is sometimes considered viable prior to 24 weeks. Abortions after the first trimester must be performed in a hospital.

[edit] See also

• Abortion
• Abortion by country
• Abortion law
• Abortion debate
• Religion and abortion

[edit] External links

• Official Dutch government site on abortion (Dutch)
• Official Abortion Physicians site on abortion (Dutch)