Wednesday, December 4 at 00:31
The Short Version
- The Parliament has decided to extend the limit for self-determined abortion from week 12 to week 18.
- Reduction of fetal counts will be treated on par with other abortions.
- Committees for abortions up to week 18 are removed.
- The new institution of committees should have a majority of women and a lawyer.
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It became clear on Tuesday, after a vote in a full parliamentary chamber.
- Parliamentarians have also decided that fetal count reductions – also called “twin abortions” – will now be treated on par with other abortions.
- Therefore,the committees for fetal count reduction will be removed for abortions up to 18 weeks.
- In addition, the organization of the committees will change, which will now have a majority of women and a lawyer.
All proposals received solid support.
Also read: celebrations and concerns after the abortion law decision
Marian Hussein, Vice President of SV and one of the initiators of the amendment, is clearly pleased with the afternoon’s vote.
– This is a historic day. We are ensuring and strengthening one of the most basic rights in an equal society: the right to self-determined abortion. It is about time. And it is indeed fantastic that we now have gathered such a large majority in Parliament to secure self-determination until week 18. We have moved public debate for a long time.
<img alt="From left: Seher Aydar (R), Marian Hussein (SV), Siv Mossleth (Sp), Sandra bruflot (H), and Kamzy Gunaratnam (Ap) pictured after the Health and Care Committee in Parliament recommended adopting the government's new abortion law. Photo: Emilie Rydning / VG" class="_image_e3l64_72 layout-component layout-normal" data-fullscreen-sizes="(min-width: 1000px) 2000px, 2000vw" data-track-element-type="Article image fullscreen" data-track-name="ImageFullscreen" decoding="async" loading="lazy" height="5256" itemprop="image" sizes="(min-width: 980px) 980px, 100vw" src="https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/5a8e434d-2a58-4686-97c6-67f09a158859?format=auto&w=40&s=72e4239767f16b13a43a7ddee9b5155c8f5b02a1" srcset="https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/5a8e434d-2a58-4686-97c6-67f09a158859?format=auto&w=40&s=72e4239767f16b13a43a7ddee9b5155c8f5b02a1 40w, https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/5a8e434d-2a58-4686-97c6-67f09a158859?format=auto&w=80&s=a90b52a263478bbd27b37d0a737d12180d338281 80w, https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/5a8e434d-2a58-4686-97c6-67f09a158859?format=auto&w=100&s=f3189ad3e3d3f4036a1f7cfc542f5f692b7a8a8e 100w, https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/5a8e434d-2a58-4686-97c6-67f09a158859?format=auto&w=200&s=ace7bebbcb6cc33de0b5b63d07c96268b6b5e98d 200w, https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/5a8e434d-2a58-4686-97c6-67f09a158859?format=auto&w=240&s=90acf38952baa6696f253831bb2363017ff0a02c 240w, https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/5a8e434d-2a58-4686-97c6-67f09a158859?format=auto&w=480&s=757aa8e2214ba6481a4b1c351536831e67b283e0 480w, https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/5a8e434d-2a58-4686-97c6-67f09a158859?format=auto&w=580&s=82cabd6858261d5c3e9ebe3dc7cca8c48c4155e6 580w, https://From left: Seher Aydar (R), Marian Hussein (SV), Siv Mossleth (Sp), Sandra Bruflot (H), and Kamzy Gunaratnam (Ap) pictured after the Health and Care Committee in Parliament recommended adopting the government's new abortion law. Photo: Emilie Rydning / VG
Last Country in Scandinavia
Norway will now be the last country in Scandinavia to set the limit at 18 weeks. Denmark has already decided this, and the change will take effect on June 1, 2025.
Sweden has had self-determined abortion until week 18 since 1974.
In Iceland, self-determined abortion has been allowed until the end of week 22 since 2019, and traveling to the Netherlands and the UK, the limit is 24 weeks.
More Elements
the most crucial aspect of the new law is that it extends the current limit for self-determined abortion from 12 weeks to 18 weeks. But the government has proposed several items that Parliament will also vote on Tuesday.
The government has decided that:
- Fetal count reduction, also known as “twin abortion”, will again be self-determined, now up to week 18. A fetal count reduction
- Healthcare personnel will have a legally established right to opt out of abortions.
- Current abortion committees will be dissolved and replaced by new committees that will apply from week 18 to week 22. They will be led by a doctor and women will form a majority. One member must have legal competence. It will also be voluntary for the pregnant woman to attend.
- The government proposes to amend perhaps the most controversial paragraph of the abortion law: Paragraph 2C. Medical conditions in the fetus will no longer provide direct access to late abortion as before. Instead, a committee will determine what the fetus’s condition means for the pregnancy, childbirth, the child’s upbringing, and care for the child, and thereby decide whether the pregnant woman may have an abortion.
Wondering which of these issues are controversial and why? Read more in this article: Everything you need to know about the new abortion law.
Also read
What are the implications of extending the self-determined abortion limit from 12 weeks to 18 weeks?
The recent decision by Parliament to extend the limit for self-determined abortion from 12 weeks to 18 weeks has sparked both celebration and discussion. Politicians were seen celebrating this change with a symbolic “abortion cake.” This legislative amendment signifies a meaningful shift in reproductive rights, allowing for a broader range of choices for individuals.
The essence of the new law encompasses:
- Extension of Abortion Limit: The self-determined abortion limit has been raised from 12 weeks to 18 weeks.
- Equal Treatment for fetal Reductions: Abortions conducted for fetal reductions,frequently enough referred to as “twin abortions,” will now be treated on par with other types of abortions,indicating a more standardized approach.
- Removal of Committees for Fetal Count Reductions: The previous requirement for committees to approve fetal count reduction abortions up to 18 weeks has been eliminated, streamlining the process.
- Committee Restructuring: The newly formed committees that oversee these decisions will now consist of a majority of women along with a lawyer, reflecting a more female-centric approach to reproductive health.
marian Hussein, the Vice President of the Socialist left Party (SV) and a proponent of the amendment, expressed her approval, emphasizing that this change strengthens essential rights within society, and marks a significant advancement in the public debate regarding abortion.
This decision is viewed as a historic moment for reproductive rights, showcasing a strong majority support within the Parliament to safeguard self-determination in reproductive choices.