Abortion in Singapore is legal and widely accessible. It was formally legalised in 1974, being one of the first countries in Asia to do so. [1] It is available on request for Singaporean citizens, permanent residents, individuals with an issued student or work pass, individuals who have been a resident of Singapore for a minimum of four months as well as anyone married to a Singaporean citizen or a permanent resident. [1] Foreigners may also obtain an abortion in Singapore if their lives are endangered.
In Singapore, all surgical abortions are performed by a licensed physician at both government and private hospitals and clinics throughout the country, with nurse practitioners, pharmacists and midwives able to provide medications. Abortions performed at a government clinic or hospital are available to be subsidised via Medisave. There is no age limit for an abortion procedure in the country. Furthermore, full confidentiality is ensured by law; parental consent is not legally required over 14, [lower-alpha 1] nor spousal consent for married women. [2] Abortion is available on request as late as 24 weeks or six months of pregnancy, beyond that, when the woman's life is in danger. [2]
Singapore's laws on abortion are considered to be progressive. [3] In 1994, Singapore was one of 179 members who signed the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action. This programme called for the liberalisation of abortion laws among other demands. [4] The Centre for Reproductive Rights placed them in the most progressive category of five: "On request". [5] In 1996, Singapore was one of 45 countries worldwide that allowed abortions on request. [6] As of 2020, it is one of 67, out of a total 194 countries evaluated. [6]
Before 1967, abortion was illegal in Singapore under sections 312–315 of the Penal Code of Singapore [7] [8] unless it was necessary to save the life or protect the health of the pregnant woman. [7] This Penal Code, similarly to other Commonwealth countries such as Australia and India, was based on legislation from the United Kingdom in the nineteenth century as the country was under its colonial rule. [9]
In 1966, the Singapore Family Planning and Population Board (SFPPB) was launched in an attempt to control the high rate of population growth in Singapore. [10] The board was in favour of induced abortion as it would aid in its mission. [9] Soon after its creation it began a review of the government's abortion policy and its effectiveness. They concluded that induced abortion should be made available to more women, and they presented these findings to the Health Ministry of Singapore in 1967. [9]
In the same year, the laws were extended to allow abortions in cases of rape, congenital foetal malformation, failed contraception, or certain eugenics cases. [11] Following this change, the rate of illegal abortions was still high. This raised concerns for the safety of Singaporean women. [9] Parliamentary debate on this issue, among others, lead to a reform of abortion law in 1969. [12]
The legalisation of abortion was not influenced by, but helped to regulate Singapore's high population growth rate in the 1960s. [13] [9] It was successful, with the population growth rate falling from 2.8% to 0.1% in the 15 years after its introduction. [14] There were 6,815 abortions carried out in Singapore in 2017, bringing the number to the lowest it has been since 1973. [15]
The Abortion Act 1969 had a span of four years and the possibility of being extended to five. [7] The parliamentary whip was lifted for this vote, allowing votes to accurately represent the members’ opinions. [3] It was passed in Parliament with 32 for, 10 against, and one abstention. [3] Chua Sian Chin, the Minister for Health, proposed that the purpose of the bill was designed to protect the health of women "in the interests of humanity and human progress," and "to ensure that the children born are wanted children." [12] Under the bill, a termination of pregnancy could be granted under four circumstances:
Initially, consent was required to terminate a pregnancy if the woman in question was unmarried and under 18. [16] This bill was passed in Parliament on 29 December 1969, and it came into effect on 20 March 1970. [17]
The Abortion Act 1974 was passed in Parliament on 23 October 1974 to repeal and amend the Act from 1969. [18] It closely resembled the previous legislation. The five circumstances in which a termination of pregnancy would be granted were removed, allowing the treatment on request. Also, the patient was the only person required to give consent for the procedure to go ahead. [18] The Termination of Pregnancy Act put in place in 1985 brought no major changes aside from its name. [19]
In 1986, mandatory pre-abortion counselling was introduced. [11] This applied to all women who were citizens or permanent residents, had two or fewer children, or had passed the Primary School Leaving Examination. [20] This was amended in 2015 to apply to all women. [21]
Year | Risk to life | Risk to health | Rape | Fetal impairment | Economic or social | On request |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1800s–1967 | ||||||
1967–1969 | ||||||
1969–1974 | [lower-alpha 2] | |||||
1974–present |
According to the Termination of Pregnancy Act, any woman who is a citizen of Singapore, holds a work pass under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, or has resided in Singapore for over four months is permitted to undergo a termination of pregnancy. This also applies to women whose spouse fulfils these criteria. These criteria do not apply to "any treatment to terminate pregnancy which is immediately necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman". [1] The procedure must be undertaken by an authorised medical practitioner in an approved institution, with written consent from the patient. Breaches of these guidelines will result in a fine of up to $3000, three years imprisonment, or both. [1]
Unless under special circumstances, the pregnancy may not be terminated if it is older than 24 weeks, unless it will protect the life or health of the pregnant woman. If the pregnancy is between 16 and 24 weeks, the treatment must be carried out by an authorised medical practitioner with the correct qualifications. [1] If a patient is undergoing a non-surgical treatment, it is not required that the medical practitioner have qualification, or that the process be undertaken in an approved institution. There is no consent required for a termination of pregnancy other than that of the pregnant woman. This remains true for minors. [1]
Any person found guilty of coercing or intimidating a woman against her will into terminating a pregnancy will be subject to a fine of up to $3000, three years imprisonment, or both. Conscientious objection is permitted for any member of the treatment process. This is overridden, however, when the life or health of the patient is at risk. The information surrounding the termination of pregnancy may not be shared without the permission of the patient. [1]
It is required that all women undertaking a termination of pregnancy participate in pre- and post-abortion counselling. After this counselling, they must wait 48 hours before commencing treatment. [22]
The Termination of Pregnancy Act guidelines require that all medical practitioners who complete a termination of a pregnancy must submit the details of the patient and the treatment to the Director of Medical Services. [1] This includes the patient's name, marital status, and level of education, the number of children the woman has, and the date and method of termination. This information is kept confidential. [23]
Data on abortion numbers and rates in Singapore are recorded, but not widely reported, as it is considered unimportant. Statistics are most often released during parliamentary debate, or in questions to Members of Parliament (MPs). [13] [24] [25] [26]
Year | No. Live Births [15] | No. Abortions | Rate of Abortions per 1000 women 15-44 |
---|---|---|---|
1970 | 45934 | 1913 [17] | 4.1 [17] |
1971 | 47088 | 3407 [17] | 7 [17] |
1972 | 49678 | 3806 [17] | 7.5 [17] |
1973 | 48269 | 5252 [17] | 10.1 [17] |
1974 | 43268 | 7175 [17] | 13.3 [17] |
1975 | 39948 | 12873 [17] | 22.7 [17] |
1976 | 42783 | 15496 [17] | 26.3 [17] |
1977 | 38364 | 16443 [17] | 27.1 [17] |
1978 | 39441 | 17246 [17] | 27.6 [17] |
1979 | 40779 | 16999 [17] | 26.5 [17] |
1980 | 41217 | 18219 [17] | 28.4 [27] |
1981 | 42250 | 18990 [17] | 28.4 [17] |
1982 | 42654 | 19110 [17] | 28.6 [27] |
1983 | 40585 | 19100 [17] | 27.9 [17] |
1984 | 41556 | 22,190 [15] | 32.2 [27] |
1985 | 42484 | 23512 [28] | 34.0 [29] |
1986 | 38379 | 23035 [15] | 32.9 [27] |
1987 | 43616 | 21226 [15] | |
1988 | 52957 | 20135 [15] | 28 [27] |
1989 | 47669 | 20619 [15] | |
1990 | 51142 | 18669 [15] | 22.5 [27] |
1991 | 49114 | 17798 [15] | 21 [27] |
1992 | 49402 | 17073 [15] | 20 [27] |
1993 | 50225 | 16476 [15] | 19.2 [27] |
1994 | 49554 | 15690 [15] | 18.2 [27] |
1995 | 48635 | 14504 [15] | 16.4 [27] |
1996 | 48577 | 14365 [30] | 15.9 [27] |
1997 | 47333 | 13827 [15] | 17.1 [31] |
1998 | 43664 | 13838 [15] | 17.7 [31] |
1999 | 43336 | 13753 [15] | |
2000 | 46997 | 13754 [15] | |
2001 | 41451 | 13140 [15] | |
2002 | 40760 | 12749 [15] | |
2003 | 37485 | 12272 [24] | 15 [15] |
2004 | 37174 | 12070 [24] | 12.6 [32] |
2005 | 37492 | 11482 [24] | |
2006 | 38317 | 12032 [24] | 12 [31] |
2007 | 39490 | 11933 [24] | |
2008 | 39826 | 12222 [24] | |
2009 | 39570 | 12318 [24] | |
2010 | 37967 | 12082 [24] | |
2011 | 39654 | 11940 [24] | |
2012 | 42663 | 10624 [24] | |
2013 | 39720 | 9282 [33] | |
2014 | 42232 | 8515 [15] | |
2015 | 42185 | 7942 [15] | |
2016 | 41251 | 7212 [33] | |
2017 | 39615 | 6815 [15] |
There was a 673% rise in recorded abortions between 1970 and 1975, due to the sudden availability of treatment. [7] [15] This number continued to rise, reaching its peak in 1985, with 23,512 legal abortions. [15] This number influenced the introduction of mandatory pre-abortion counselling for women in 1986. [11] As a result, the number of abortions regulated, [11] passing under 20,000 in 1990. [15] Between 2003 and 2012, approximately 300 to 500 abortions were kept after pre-abortion counselling. [25] In 2017, there were 6815 legal abortions carried out. [33]
In 1970, the most common reason for abortion was economic limits or existing family size, explaining 90% of abortions. [17] This continued to be the most common reason in 1983; however, it explained only 39% of procedures. [17] Abortions are also commonly justified by marital status, domestic problems, and medical reasons. The least common reason, at a maximum of 4% between 1970 and 1983, was failed contraception. [17]
Between April 1984 and December 1985, the average age of single women presenting for abortion was 23.6. [34] In 2002, the average age of women presenting had risen to 29.6 years old. [35]
The number of teenagers presenting for abortions has decreased. In 2005, 1279 women under 20 had abortions, followed by 1195 in 2009, 578 in 2013, and 343 in 2016. [33] This is almost equal to the 332 babies born to teenagers in 2016. [33] In 1999, 109 patients younger than 16 presented for an abortion, but in 2012, only 59 in this age bracket did. [26] Teenagers are also less likely to have used contraceptives. [34]
In 1985, 69.75% of patients were married. [34] By 2002, this had risen to 75.5%. [35] A total of 58.3% had a secondary school education in 2002. [35]
Public opposition to the abortion laws in Singapore has been limited [3] for a number of reasons. Singaporeans are split between several religions, [36] diluting religious social influence. The laws were passed earlier than many other countries, [3] particularly in Asia. [6] As a result, there has not been extensive debate on the topic.
In 1967, the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore argued against the legalisation of abortion. Instead, he suggested that religious education could replace the need for abortions. [37]
During the parliamentary debate leading up to the legalisation of abortion in 1969, then Minister of Health, Chua Sian Chin, argued that the stance of religious groups should not be considered in the debate on abortion. He explained that their input was an attempt to "impose their will on the majority". He followed this by suggesting that opposition to the Abortion Bill would be considered redundant in the future. [3]
The parliamentary whip was lifted during the subsequent debate to allow members of parliament to vote according to conscience, which allowed religious opposition within the governing People's Action Party (PAP) to be represented in the vote. [3] Nevertheless, it was passed. [3]
The debate around religion and abortion continued through 2008, following an article in the Straits Times arguing that Singapore's abortion laws should be reviewed. [38] Some readers replied, suggesting that restrictions on abortion would not cause an increase in birth rates, and would create more social inequality. [3]
There has not been any review of Singapore's abortion laws on religious grounds. [38] Any medical professional may conscientiously object to performing a termination of pregnancy on the grounds of religious beliefs. The only case where personal objection is disregarded is if the patient's life is endangered by the pregnancy. [1]
Abortion in the United Kingdom is de facto available under the terms of the Abortion Act 1967 in Great Britain and the Abortion (No.2) Regulations 2020 in Northern Ireland. The procurement of an abortion remains a criminal offence in Great Britain under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, although the Abortion Act provides a legal defence for both the pregnant woman and her doctor in certain cases. Although a number of abortions did take place before the 1967 Act, there have been around 10 million abortions in the United Kingdom. Around 200,000 abortions are carried out in England and Wales each year and just under 14,000 in Scotland; the most common reason cited under the ICD-10 classification system for around 98% of all abortions is "risk to woman's mental health."
Abortion in Ireland is regulated by the Health Act 2018. Abortion is permitted in Ireland during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy, and later in cases where the pregnant woman's life or health is at risk, or in the cases of a fatal foetal abnormality. Abortion services commenced on 1 January 2019, following its legalisation by the aforementioned Act, which became law on 20 December 2018. Previously, the 8th Constitutional Amendment had given the life of the unborn foetus the same value as that of its mother, but the 36th constitutional amendment, approved by referendum in May 2018, replaced this with a clause permitting the Oireachtas (parliament) to legislate for the termination of pregnancies.
Late termination of pregnancy, also referred to as third trimester abortion, describes the termination of pregnancy by induced abortion during a late stage of gestation. In this context, late is not precisely defined, and different medical publications use varying gestational age thresholds. As of 2015 in the United States, more than 90% of abortions occur before the 13th week, 1.3% of abortions in the United States took place after the 21st week, and less than 1% occur after 24 weeks.
Abortion laws vary widely among countries and territories, and have changed over time. Such laws range from abortion being freely available on request, to regulation or restrictions of various kinds, to outright prohibition in all circumstances. Many countries and territories that allow abortion have gestational limits for the procedure depending on the reason; with the majority being up to 12 weeks for abortion on request, up to 24 weeks for rape, incest, or socioeconomic reasons, and more for fetal impairment or risk to the woman's health or life. As of 2022, countries that legally allow abortion on request or for socioeconomic reasons comprise about 60% of the world's population. In 2024, France became the first country to explicitly protect abortion rights in its constitution.
Abortion in Australia is legal. There are no federal abortion laws, and full decriminalisation of the procedure has been enacted in all jurisdictions. Access to abortion varies between the states and territories: Surgical abortions are readily available on request within the first 22 to 24 weeks of pregnancy in most jurisdictions, and up to 16 weeks in Tasmania. Later-term abortions can be obtained with the approval of two doctors, although the Australian Capital Territory only requires a single physician's approval.
Abortion in Germany is legal on demand during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy upon condition of mandatory counseling. The same goes later in pregnancy in cases that the pregnancy poses an important danger to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman. In the case that the abortion is because of a rape, counseling is not mandatory. The woman needs to receive counseling, called Schwangerschaftskonfliktberatung, at least three days prior to the abortion and must take place at a state-approved centre, which afterwards gives the applicant a Beratungsschein.
Many jurisdictions have laws applying to minors and abortion. These parental involvement laws require that one or more parents consent or be informed before their minor daughter may legally have an abortion.
Abortion in South Africa is legal by request when the pregnancy is under 13 weeks. It is also legal to terminate a pregnancy between week 13 and week 20 under the following conditions: the continued pregnancy would significantly affect the pregnant person's social or economic circumstances, the continued pregnancy poses a risk of injury to the pregnant person's physical or mental health, there is a substantial risk that the foetus would suffer from a severe physical or mental abnormality, or the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest. If the pregnancy is more than 20 weeks, a termination is legal if the foetus' life is in danger, or there is a likelihood of serious birth defects.
Pregnant patients' rights or Pregnant women's rights refers to the choices and legal rights available to a woman experiencing pregnancy or childbirth. Specifically those under medical care within a medical establishment or those under the care of a medical professional regardless of location.
This is a timeline of reproductive rights legislation, a chronological list of laws and legal decisions affecting human reproductive rights. Reproductive rights are a sub-set of human rights pertaining to issues of reproduction and reproductive health. These rights may include some or all of the following: the right to legal or safe abortion, the right to birth control, the right to access quality reproductive healthcare, and the right to education and access in order to make reproductive choices free from coercion, discrimination, and violence. Reproductive rights may also include the right to receive education about contraception and sexually transmitted infections, and freedom from coerced sterilization, abortion, and contraception, and protection from practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM).
Abortion has been legal in India under various circumstances with the introduction of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971. The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Regulations, 2003 were issued under the Act to enable women to access safe and legal abortion services.
Abortion in Namibia is restricted under the Abortion and Sterilisation Act of South Africa (1975), which Namibia inherited at the time of Independence from South Africa in March 1990. The act only allows for the termination of a pregnancy in cases of serious threat to the maternal or fetal health or when the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest. This law has not been updated since, and attempts to liberalise it have been met with fierce opposition from religious and women's groups.
Abortion in Denmark was fully legalized on 1 October 1973, allowing the procedure to be done electively if a woman's pregnancy has not exceeded its 12th 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. A woman may also be granted an authorization to abort after 12 weeks if certain circumstances are proved to be present.
Abortion in Liechtenstein is illegal in most circumstances with limited exceptions in cases where the life of the pregnant woman is at risk, or where the pregnancy has resulted from a sexual offence. Religion in Liechtenstein is mainly Roman Catholic, which is reflected in the faith of the ruling Princely House of Liechtenstein and in the country's laws and culture around pregnancy.
Forced abortion is a form of reproductive coercion that refers to the act of compelling a woman to undergo termination of a pregnancy against her will or without explicit consent. Forced abortion may also be defined as coerced abortion, and may occur due to a variety of outside forces such as societal pressure, or due to intervention by perpetrators such as an intimate partner, parental guardian, medical practitioners, or others who may cause abortion by force, threat or coercion. It may also occur by taking advantage of a situation where a pregnant individual is unable to give consent, or when valid consent is in question due to duress. This may also include the instances when the conduct was neither justified by medical or hospital treatment, which does not include instances in which the pregnant individual is at risk of life threatening injury due to unsustainable pregnancy. Similar to other forms of reproductive coercion such as forced sterilization, forced abortion may include a physical invasion of female reproductive organs, therefore creating the possibly of causing long term threat or injury preventing viable future pregnancies. Forced abortion is considered a human rights violation by the United Nations due to its failure to comply with the human right to reproductive choice and control without coercion, discrimination, and violence.
Savita Halappanavar was a dentist of Indian origin, living in Ireland, who died from sepsis after her request for an abortion was denied on legal grounds. In the wake of a nationwide outcry over her death, voters passed in a landslide the Thirty-Sixth Amendment of the Constitution, which repealed the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland and empowered the Oireachtas to legislate for abortion. It did so through the Health Act 2018, signed into law on 20 December 2018.
The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 was an Act of the Oireachtas which, until 2018, defined the circumstances and processes within which abortion in Ireland could be legally performed. The act gave effect in statutory law to the terms of the Constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court in the 1992 judgment Attorney General v. X. That judgment allowed for abortion where pregnancy endangers a woman's life, including through a risk of suicide. The provisions relating to suicide had been the most contentious part of the bill. Having passed both Houses of the Oireachtas in July 2013, it was signed into law on 30 July by Michael D. Higgins, the President of Ireland, and commenced on 1 January 2014. The 2013 Act was repealed by the Health Act 2018, which commenced on 1 January 2019.
Algeria is the most restrictive country in the region regarding abortion. There are many laws and punishments regarding abortion. If there are posters, publicity, public meetings, or group meetings that have to do with abortion, anyone involved can be punished.
Abortion in Thailand is legal and available on-request up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. Abortion has been legal up to at least 12 weeks of pregnancy since 7 February 2021. Following a 2020 ruling of the Constitutional Court which declared a portion of the abortion statutes unconstitutional, the Parliament removed first-term abortion from the criminal code. Once strict, over time laws have been relaxed to take into account high rates of teen pregnancy, women who lack the means or will to raise children, and the consequences of illegal abortion.
Conscientious objection to abortion is the right of medical staff to refuse participation in abortion for personal belief.