Abortion legislation

Legislation timeline

  • 1978: abortion is allowed (law dated 15 November)
  • 2014: new law dated 17 December

Source: Code de la Santé (http://data.legilux.public.lu/file/eli-etat-leg-code-sante-20170331-fr-pdf.pdf; fichier pdf page 136)

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 14 weeks from LMP

* After 14 weeks from LMP, 2 qualified physicians must certify in writing that there is a serious threat to the health or life of the pregnant woman or the unborn child.

Source: Code de la Santé (http://data.legilux.public.lu/file/eli-etat-leg-code-sante-20170331-fr-pdf.pdf; fichier pdf page 316)

Legal conditions

  • Mandatory 3-day period between pre-abortion consultation and abortion procedure

Specific conditions for minors

  • Parent’s (or guardian’s) consent required for minors under 18. If the minor wants to keep abortion a secret, she has to be accompanied by an adult of her choice.
  • Written consent by the minor
  • Pre-abortion consultation with a social worker
  • Pre-abortion confirmation consultation in addition to the legal conditions described above.

Source:

  • Code de la Santé (http://data.legilux.public.lu/file/eli-etat-leg-code-sante-20170331-fr-pdf.pdf; fichier pdf page 316)

Practical conditions

Medical abortion conditions

Place Prescription 1st drug taken 2nd drug taken
OB/GYN department of a hospital/clinic Yes Yes Yes
Another physician office Yes Yes Yes
Midwife office No No No
Abortion centre/clinic
At home No No Yes

Source: Code de la Santé (http://data.legilux.public.lu/file/eli-etat-leg-code-sante-20170331-fr-pdf.pdf; fichier pdf page 316), Ministère de la Santé. Interruption Volontaire de Grossesse (IVG) - Brochure d’information. 2017 (http://sante.public.lu/fr/droits/ivg/guide-info-femmes-IVG-juin-2017.pdf page 13)

Medical abortions can take place in a family planning centre (prescription, 1st drug and 2nd drug).

Mandatory pre-abortion examinations

  • A dating and localisation ultrasound validated by a doctor specialising in gynaecology and obstetrics is mandatory before performing an abortion.

Involved healthcare professionals

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

Source:

  • Code de la Santé (http://data.legilux.public.lu/file/eli-etat-leg-code-sante-20170331-fr-pdf.pdf; fichier pdf page 316)

Abortion statistics

Abortion rates per 1,000 women aged 15-49

Unfortunately we have no data for this country.

Source:

No national data available

Overall number of induced abortions

Source: https://pfl.lu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2403_PF_RA_F2-1.pdf

Family planning centres, no national data available

Abortion ratio per 1.000 live births: 113 (2023)

Source: https://pfl.lu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2403_PF_RA_F2-1.pdf

Abortions performed “on request”: 100% (2023)

Source:

Overall number of induced abortions vs. medical abortions

Source: https://pfl.lu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2403_PF_RA_F2-1.pdf

No national data available. All abortions performed in Family planning centres are medical abortions.

Induced abortions per gestational age (2023)

Source: https://pfl.lu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2403_PF_RA_F2-1.pdf

No national data available. Family Planning carries out abortions up to 9 weeks. Of the 135 abortions transferred to the CHL, 44 were beyond 9 weeks.

Place of abortion (2023)

Unfortunately we have no data for this country.

Source: https://pfl.lu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2403_PF_RA_F2-1.pdf

In 2023, 81% of abortions planned after request in a family planning centre took place in a family planning centre. No national data available

Characteristics of women having induced abortion

Distribution of induced abortions according to woman age (2023)

Source: https://pfl.lu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2403_PF_RA_F2-1.pdf

Family planning centres, no national data available

In 2019, among women who had induced abortion:

  • 44% lived in Luxembourg
  • 36% had at least 1 child.

Source:

  • http://www.pfl.lu/_dbfiles/lacentrale_files/300/378/Rapport-Planning-2019.pdf

Fertility and contraception

Fertility rates in women aged 15-49

Source: https://statistiques.public.lu/fr/publications/series/luxembourg-en-chiffres/2024/luxembourg-en-chiffres-2024.html

Women age at first birth

  • 31.2 years of age (2023)

Overall contraception data

Data concerning family planning patients

In 2023,

  • 5% of women used oral contraceptive
  • 52.9% of women used intra-uterine device (IUD)

Source:

  • https://statistiques.public.lu/fr/publications/series/luxembourg-en-chiffres/2024/luxembourg-en-chiffres-2024.html
  • https://pfl.lu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2403_PF_RA_F2-1.pdf

Country-specific characteristics

  • Women have to give written consent only if they are minor.
  • All health care professionnals (HCPs) have the right to conscientiously object.
  • Both surgical and medical abortions are free of charge for resident women. Abortion is also free of charge for non-resident women if they work in Luxemboug.

Source:

  • Code de la Santé (http://data.legilux.public.lu/file/eli-etat-leg-code-sante-20170331-fr-pdf.pdf; fichier pdf page 316)
  • Ministère de la Santé. Interruption Volontaire de Grossesse (IVG) – Brochure d’information. 2017 (http://sante.public.lu/fr/droits/ivg/guide-info-femmes-IVG-juin-2017.pdf page 13)
  • Gouvernement du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg (http://www.sante.public.lu/fr/droits/ivg/remboursement/index.html)

Download statistics of Luxembourg

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: 19 December 2024