Abortion in Denmark

Abortion in Denmark was fully legalized on 1 October 1973,^[1] allowing the procedure to be done on-demand if a woman’s pregnancy has not exceeded its twelfth week. Under Danish law, the patient must be over the age of 18 to decide on an abortion alone; parental consent is required for minors, except in special circumstances. An abortion can be performed after 12 weeks if the woman’s life or health are in danger.

Legal abortion in Denmark during the past 25 years: aspects of public health and ethics

Since October 1, 1973, Denmark has granted its permanent residents the right to legal abortion up to the end of the 12th week of gestation. In the beginning of the period of legal abortion, the numbers of induced abortions per year were high, although they decreased during the 1980s and 1990s. Probably, information campaigns concerning the use of contraception have had some effect. Abortion figures are, however, of interest of studied as rates of abortion, i.e. numbers per 1000 women of fertile age or as age-related rates of abortion. Aspects of legal abortion comprise various topics. One of these is the ethical questions for physicians and nurses, and also for the entire population in a country with legal, and free, abortion to a certain limit. Some central ethical questions are discussed, and it is stated that we cannot perform abortion if we grant the fetus the same moral status as an adult human being.

Your options if you are considering abortion in Denmark

In Denmark, you have the right to an abortion until the end of the 12th week of pregnancy. If you have doubts, is a good idea to have a support call before making your choice . Read more here.

When you are hiding your pregnancy, an abortion sometimes seems like the obvious solution. But that does not necessarily make it an easy choice. There are often considerable doubts associated with making a decision about an abortion. We therefore recommend that you get a support call.  

The purpose of a support call before a possible abortion is to give you support and help you towards a clarification of the right choice for you.  

How to get a free support call about abortion in Denmark

Holdepunkt, which is Mødrehjælpen’s nationwide counselling service, offers independent and anonymous support calls. You can contact Holdepunkt’s counselling here at skjultgravid.dk. Call + 45 70 26 31 00 or go to the chat here.

What you need to do if you want an abortion in Denmark

If you want to have an abortion, you must fill out a form from your doctor or another general practitioner of your choice.

If you are not connected to a doctor because you do not have a yellow medical card, please contact:

The Health Clinic for Undocumented Migrants in Aarhus, Odense and Copenhagen. The clinics are run by The Red Cross in cooperation with the Danish Medical Association and the Danish Refugee Council.
Reden International’s Health Clinic in Copenhagen.
Ami Ami’s Drop-in Centre and Health Clinic in Fredericia.

In most cases, an abortion must be performed by the end of week 12

In Denmark, the deadline for abortion is 12 weeks. This means that you must obtain special permission if you want to have an abortion later than the 12th week of pregnancy. 

You must apply for the right to a late abortion with the Abortion Council (Abortsamrådet). A late abortion may be permitted until the end of the 22nd week of pregnancy, if special circumstances dictate it. The reasons for this may be, for example, that your health will be in danger if you go ahead with the pregnancy, or that your situation means that you will not be able to take care of a child. 

Who performs abortions?

An abortion will typically be performed in a hospital, but it is also possible to have an abortion with a private gynaecologist.

There are two kinds of abortions – medical abortion and surgical abortion. With the first, you can typically get it done at home and thus avoid hospitalisation if you are in the ninth week of pregnancy or earlier. 

How much does an abortion cost?

Abortions performed in a public hospital or by a gynaecologist are free for women who have a Danish civil registration (CPR) number and a referral from their doctor. 

If you do not have a yellow medical card organisations like The Red Cross, Reden International and Ami Ami can advise you on your options and rights, and help you have an abortion for free.