Abortion legislation

Legislation timeline

  • 1959: abortion is allowed in some specific cases.
  • 1964: Legislation came into action
  • 1975: Act No. 50 (13 June)
  • 1978: Act No. 5 and regulations for the implementation of the Act (16 June)
  • 2019: New legislation related to fetal reduction. Two doctors have to consent to all fetal reductions regardless of gestational age for the same reasons/restrictions as one can grant abortions after 12 weeks gestation.
  • 2024: Norway's parliament on December 3 adopted legislation extending the legal limit for abortion from 12 to 18 weeks.

Source: https://lovdata.no/dokument/LTI/lov/2019-06-21-44

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 18 weeks from LMP

Source: https://www.helsenorge.no/en/sex-og-samliv/information-for-anyone-considering-having-an-abortion/

Legal conditions

  • Written consent by the woman
  • Health personnel are obliged to offer counselling on contraception but the women can deny it.

Specific conditions for minors

  • Parent’s (or guardian’s) consent required for minors under 16

 

Source:

  • Abortion law (https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/1975-06-13-50)
  • 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 Yes Yes Yes
Another physician office No No No
Midwife office No No No
Abortion centre/clinic
At home No No Yes

Source: https://bora.uib.no/handle/1956/15618, Norsk Gynekologisk Forening (https://legeforeningen.no/Fagmed/Norsk-gynekologisk-forening/)

Mandatory pre-abortion examinations

  • None

Involved healthcare professionals

  • Surgical abortion: obstetrician/gynaecologist (OB/GYN) or another physician
  • Medical abortion: OB/GYN, another physician, nurse or midwife under physician supervision

Source:

  • Abortion law (https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/1975-06-13-50)
  • Norsk Gynekologisk Forening (https://legeforeningen.no/Fagmed/Norsk-gynekologisk-forening/Veiledere/Veileder-i-gynekologi-2015/Provosert-abort11/)

Abortion statistics

Abortion rates per 1,000 women aged 15-49

Source: https://www.fhi.no/en/ch/registry-of-pregnancy-termination/induced-abortion-in-norway/#about-the-statistics

Overall number of induced abortions

Source: https://www.fhi.no/en/ch/registry-of-pregnancy-termination/induced-abortion-in-norway/#about-the-statistics

Abortion ratio per 1.000 live births: 232 (2023)

Source: https://www.fhi.no/en/ch/registry-of-pregnancy-termination/induced-abortion-in-norway/#about-the-statistics

Abortions performed “on request”: 95.2% (2023)

Source: https://www.fhi.no/en/ch/registry-of-pregnancy-termination/induced-abortion-in-norway/#about-the-statistics

Overall number of induced abortions vs. medical abortions

Source: https://fhi.brage.unit.no/fhi-xmlui/handle/11250/3145238

Induced abortions per gestational age (2023)

Source: https://fhi.brage.unit.no/fhi-xmlui/handle/11250/3145238

Place of abortion (2023)

Source: https://fhi.brage.unit.no/fhi-xmlui/handle/11250/3145238

Characteristics of women having induced abortion

Abortion rate per 1,000 women according to age (2023)

Source: https://www.fhi.no/en/ch/registry-of-pregnancy-termination/induced-abortion-in-norway/#about-the-statistics

In 2020, among women who had induced abortion:

  • 98% lived in Norway
  • 38% had at least 1 previous induced abortion
  • 51% had at least 1 child

Source:

  • https://www.fhi.no/en/hn/health-registries/registry-of-pregnancy-termination/induced-abortion-in-norway/

Fertility and contraception

Fertility rates in women aged 15-49

Source: https://www.ssb.no/en/befolkning/fodte-og-dode/statistikk/fodte

Women age at first birth

  • 30.3 years of age (2023)

Overall contraception data

  • Contraceptive prevalence rate was 136/1,000 women aged 15-39 in 2016 (excluding intra-uterine device (IUD) and contraceptive vaginal ring); oral contraceptive prevalence rate was 118/1,000.

Pre-abortion contraception

  • 19% of women who had abortion had a contraceptive method before abortion procedure (2007-2011).

Contraception during abortion process

  • IUDs are placed from 7 days after abortion.
  • Implants are placed on the day of abortion or later.

Source:

  • https://www.ssb.no/en/befolkning/fodte-og-dode/statistikk/fodte
  • Folkehelseinstituttet (http://www.norpd.no/)
  • Justad-Berg RT et al. Characteristics of women with repeat termination of pregnancy: a study of all requests for pregnancy termination in Norway during 2007-2011. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2015;94(11):1175-80. doi: 10.1111/aogs.12714.

Country-specific characteristics

  • Women have to give written consent.
  • Abortion is taught during health care professionals’ (HCPs’) medical studies.
  • All HCPs have the right to conscientiously object; they can avoid participating in the operation itself, but cannot refuse to help in pre- and post-operation care.
  • Both surgical and medical abortions are free of charge for resident women. Non-resident women have to pay between €260 (medical) and €900 – €1,000 (surgical) unless they are registered citizens or they applied for asylum. They do not have to pay up front and many hospitals will not send a bill for those who do not pay upon leaving the hospital. It is regarded as emergency medical assistance to provide an abortion.

Source:

  • Abortion law (https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/1975-06-13-50)
  • IPPF European Network – http://www.ippfen.org/

Download statistics of Norway

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: 23 December 2024