Center for Reproductive Rights
Donate
icon-hamburger icon-magnifying-glass Donate
icon-magnifying-glass-teal

The World’s Abortion Laws

Menu Close Menu Close icon
Donate
Scroll to continue
Versión en Español

The World’s Abortion Laws

Globally, there is an overwhelming trend towards the liberalization of abortion laws.

Global map
Global map

Over the past 30 years, more than 60 countries and territories have liberalized their abortion laws.

From Ireland to Nepal, abortion rights are becoming recognized as fundamental human rights for millions of people worldwide. And in Latin America, the Green Wave is ushering in a new era of liberalization in Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, and elsewhere in the region.

Reproductive right rally with large crowd of participants. Reproductive right rally with large crowd of participants.

Only four countries have rolled back the legality of abortion.

The devastating regression on abortion rights in the United States makes the country a stark outlier to the global trend toward liberalization.

United States of America, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Poland
United States of America, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Poland
Image of blurred protestors holding signs.
Reproductive right rally with large crowd of participants.

An overwhelming trend towards the liberalization of abortion laws

Color-coded world map.

Pictured: Countries and territories that have liberalized their abortion laws (dark blue) vs. those that have rolled back the legality of abortion (red).

 
 

60% live where abortion is broadly legal.

1.12 billion women of reproductive age

This analysis draws from the most recent data from the UN Population Division, which tracks the number of women of reproductive age living in each country. We recognize people who do not identify as women may also need access to abortion services.

 
 
 
 

40% live under restrictive laws.

753 million women of reproductive age

Since its founding in 1992, the Center for Reproductive Rights has worked across the globe to expand reproductive freedom as a fundamental human right.

Images of people in front of government buildings.

This map is our definitive record of the legal status of abortion globally and is updated in real-time to show how countries and territories are protecting – or violating – individuals’ abortion rights.

Category I - On Request (Gestational Limits Vary)

662 million
(34%) women of reproductive agelive in 77 countries that allow abortion on request.

These laws generally have gestational limits.

Category II - Broad Social or Economic Grounds

457 Million
(23%) women of reproductive age live in 12 countries/territories that allow abortion on broad social or economic grounds.

Many countries and territories also permit abortion on other specific grounds, such as when pregnancy results from rape or incest or in cases of certain fetal diagnoses.

Category III - To Preserve Health

226 Million
(12%) women of reproductive age live in 47 countries where abortion is permitted when pregnancy poses a risk to the person's health.

Many of these laws include threats to the person's mental health. Many countries also permit abortion on other specific grounds, such as when pregnancy results from rape or incest or in cases of certain fetal diagnoses.

Category IV - To Save a Person's Life

416 Million
(20%) women of reproductive agelive in 44 countries that allow abortion to save the life of the pregnant person.

Many countries also permit abortion on other specific grounds, such as when pregnancy results from rape or incest or in cases of certain fetal diagnoses.

Category V - Prohibited Altogether

111 Million
(6%) women of reproductive agelive in 21 countries that prohibit abortion altogether.

These are the most restrictive abortion laws in the world.

Category VI - Varies at State Level

111 million (6%) women of reproductive age live in 2 countries in which abortion laws vary at the state level.

34
23
12
20
6
6
 
 
 
 
 
 

Only two countries have abortion laws that significantly vary from state to state.

United States of America map

In overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court removed nationwide protections for abortion rights. Since then, some states have criminalized abortion while others have strengthened protections.

Mexico map

In 2021, the Supreme Court of Mexico found the absolute criminalization of abortion to be unconstitutional and recognized the right to abortion early in pregnancy. About 40% of Mexican states now comply with this. In 2023, the Court ordered the removal of abortion from the Federal Penal Code.

Restrictive abortion laws
cause enormous harm.

Restrictive abortion laws cause enormous harm:

  • Around 39,000 deaths per year from unsafe abortions
  • The loss of educational and economic opportunities
  • The deepening of historical marginalization
 
 

Denial of abortion care is nothing short of a true human rights violation.

Human rights bodies have consistently condemned restrictive abortion laws and called for states and territories to decriminalize abortion and guarantee access to safe abortion services.
Back to beginning

The World's Abortion Laws.

The definitive record of the legal status of abortion in countries and territories across the globe, updated in real time.

Versión en Español

  • 662 million
    (34%) women of reproductive age    live in 77 countries that allow abortion on request.

  • The most common gestational limit for countries in this category is 12 weeks. Gestational limits are calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period, which is considered to occur two weeks prior to conception. Where laws specify that gestational age limits are calculated from the date of conception, these limits have been extended by two weeks.

  • 457 Million
    (23%) women of reproductive age     live in 12 countries/territories that allow abortion on broad social or economic grounds.

  • These laws are generally interpreted liberally to permit abortion under a broad range of circumstances. These countries/territories often take into account a pregnant person’s actual or reasonably foreseeable environment and their social or economic circumstances when considering the potential impact of pregnancy and childbearing.

  • 226 Million
    (12%) women of reproductive age     live in 47 countries where abortion is permitted when pregnancy poses a risk to the person's health.

  • The laws of countries in this category permit abortion on the basis of health or therapeutic grounds. 25 of these countries explicitly permit abortion to preserve mental health.

  • 416 Million
    (20%) women of reproductive age    live in 44 countries that allow abortion to save the life of the pregnant person.

  • The laws of the countries in this category permit abortion when the pregnant person’s life is at risk.

  • 111 Million
    (6%) women of reproductive age    live in 21 countries that prohibit abortion altogether.

  • The laws of the countries in this category do not permit abortion under any circumstances, including when the person's life or health is at risk.

  • 111 million (6%) women of reproductive age live in 2 countries in which abortion laws vary at the state level.

  • The laws of the countries in this category vary significantly from state to state.

Reset Map

Tag: abortion global

To explore more topics, search our full site.

The World’s Abortion Laws

Have a question? Get in touch directly Take it with you Download attachment: The World’s Abortion Laws Mission The Center for Reproductive Rights uses the power of law to advance reproductive rights as fundamental human rights around the world. Supplemental Resources Abortion Rights are Advancing Across the Globe Maputo Protocol at 20: Progress on Abortion […]

Sign up for email updates.

The most up-to-date news on reproductive rights, delivered straight to you.