Abortion legislation

Legislation timeline

  • 1975: abortion is allowed
  • 2019: According to a new legislation, an induced abortion is available on request until the 22nd week of gestation.

Source: https://www.government.is/lisalib/getfile.aspx?itemid=60ae8fd2-0b91-11ea-9453-005056bc4d74

Abortion conditions

Ground Gestational limit
To save a woman’s life No limit
Because of foetal impairment No limit
To preserve a woman’s mental health 16 weeks from LMP
To preserve a woman’s physical health 16 weeks from LMP
For economic and social reasons 16 weeks from LMP
On request 22 weeks

Source: https://www.government.is/lisalib/getfile.aspx?itemid=60ae8fd2-0b91-11ea-9453-005056bc4d74

Legal conditions

  • Pre-abortion consultation (legal counselling)
  • Pre-abortion laboratory tests
  • Contraception to be evoked before the woman is discharged from hospital.

Specific conditions for minors

  • Parent’s (or guardian’s) consent required for minors under 16 or who have been declared incompetent; possibility of dispensation if special reasons make this impossible.

Source:

  • IPPF European Network – http://www.ippfen.org/

Practical conditions

Medical abortion conditions

Place Prescription 1st drug taken 2nd drug taken
OB/GYN department of a hospital/clinic
Another physician office
Midwife office
Abortion centre/clinic
At home

Source:

Mandatory pre-abortion examinations

  • Blood group and rhesus factor

Involved healthcare professionals

  • Surgical abortion: obstetrician/gynaecologist (OB/GYN)
  • Medical abortion: OB/GYN

Source:

  • IPPF European Network – http://www.ippfen.org/

Abortion statistics

Abortion rates per 1,000 women aged 15-49

Source: https://www.landlaeknir.is/tolfraedi-og-rannsoknir/tolfraedi/allt-talnaefni/

Overall number of induced abortions

Source: https://www.landlaeknir.is/tolfraedi-og-rannsoknir/tolfraedi/allt-talnaefni/

Abortion ratio per 1.000 live births: 213 (2020)

Source: https://www.landlaeknir.is/tolfraedi-og-rannsoknir/tolfraedi/allt-talnaefni/

Abortions performed “on request”: % ()

Source:

Overall number of induced abortions vs. medical abortions

Source: https://www.landlaeknir.is/tolfraedi-og-rannsoknir/tolfraedi/allt-talnaefni/

* number of medical abortions was calculated on a percentage basis of the overall number of induced abortions

Induced abortions per gestational age (2020)

Source: https://www.landlaeknir.is/tolfraedi-og-rannsoknir/tolfraedi/allt-talnaefni/

Place of abortion ()

Unfortunately we have no data for this country.

Source:

Characteristics of women having induced abortion

Abortion rate per 1,000 women according to age (2020)

Source: https://www.landlaeknir.is/tolfraedi-og-rannsoknir/tolfraedi/allt-talnaefni/

Source:

Fertility and contraception

Fertility rates in women aged 15-49

Source: https://www.statice.is/statistics/population/births-and-deaths/births/

Women age at first birth

  • 28.6 years of age (2021)

Source:

  • https://www.statice.is/statistics/population/births-and-deaths/births/

Country-specific characteristics

Both surgical and medical abortions are free of charge for the women. They only have to pay for the consultation and blood test.

Source:

  • IPPF European Network – Updated January 2012 (http://www.ippfen.org/)

Download statistics of Iceland

The statistics presented are freely accessible and may be used, copied, displayed or distributed provided that their source is given. You can choose whether you prefer to download the statistics of the last 10 years or the full data set. Press one of the buttons to generate a report in PDF format for this country.

Last 10 years
Full data set

Abbreviations: EFTA = European Free Trade Association | EU = European Union | IUD = intra-uterine device | LARC = long-acting reversible contraception | LMP = last menstruation period | GYN = gynaecologist | HCP = health care professional | hCG = human chorionic gonadotropin | HIV = human immunodeficiency virus | OB = obstetrician | Rh = Rhesus | US = ultrasound

A special thanks to our correspondents for contributing in data collection.
Please contact info@exelgyn.com if you have additional data or would like to comment information

Page last updated: 4 July 2023