Abortion legislation

Legislation timeline

  • 1955: Abortion is allowed
  • 2002: Sexual and Reproductive Health Law (31 January)

Source: Latvijas Ģimenes Plānošanas un Seksuālās Veselības Asociācija “PapardesZieds” (LAFPSH) (www.papardeszieds.lv)

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
To preserve a woman’s physical health
For economic and social reasons
On request 12 weeks from LMP

Source: http://www.ippfen.org/

Legal conditions

  • Written consent by the woman
  • Pre-abortion consultation (legal counselling)
  • Post-abortion consultation
  • Mandatory 3-day period between counselling and abortion procedure
  • Contraception to be evoked during the pre-abortion consultation.

Specific conditions for minors

  • Specific legal counselling
  • Parent’s (or guardian’s) consent required for minors under 16.

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:

Involved healthcare professionals

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

Source:

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

Abortion statistics

Abortion rates per 1,000 women aged 15-49

Source: https://stat.gov.lv/en/statistics-themes/social/health-status-and-morbidity

Overall number of induced abortions

Source: https://stat.gov.lv/en/statistics-themes/social/health-status-and-morbidity

Abortion ratio per 1.000 live births: 156 (2021)

Source: https://stat.gov.lv/en/statistics-themes/social/health-status-and-morbidity

Abortions performed “on request”: % ()

Source:

Overall number of induced abortions vs. medical abortions

Source:

Induced abortions per gestational age ()

Unfortunately we have no data for this country.

Source:

Place of abortion ()

Unfortunately we have no data for this country.

Source:

Characteristics of women having induced abortion

Distribution of induced abortion according to women age (2020)

Source: https://admin.stat.gov.lv/system/files/publication/2021-10/Nr_05_Demografija_2021_%2821_00%29_LV_EN.pdf

Source:

Fertility and contraception

Fertility rates in women aged 15-49

Source: https://stat.gov.lv/en/statistics-themes/population/fertility

Women age at first birth

  • 27.8 years of age (2021)

Source:

  • https://stat.gov.lv/en/statistics-themes/population/fertility

Country-specific characteristics

  • Women have to give written consent.
  • Women have to pay around €70-185  for surgical abortion and around €355-385  for medical abortion.

Source:

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

Download statistics of Latvia

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