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Abortion on request: maximum legal time limit

What this indicator measures

Number of weeks of pregnancy up to which the law allows abortion at the woman's simple request, without having to give a reason. Only countries that set this limit in weeks are shown.

How to read this?

A value of 12 means that abortion on request is allowed up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Ranking : ranked from highest to lowest

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61countries with data
24 wksmaximum · Colombia
12 wksmedian
5 wksminimum · Turkmenistan
2026data year(s)

In brief

Abortion on request: maximum legal time limit: across 61 countries and territories, values range from 5 wks (Turkmenistan) to 24 wks (Colombia), with a world median of 12 wks. Data: 2026. The top 10% of countries exceed 20 wks, while the bottom 10% stay below 10 wks. By continent, the median is highest in South America (13 wks) and lowest in Africa (12 wks).

Median by continent

Lower Higher
  • South America 13 wks (4)
  • Europe 12 wks (35)
  • Asia 12 wks (16)
  • Africa 12 wks (4)

Why this indicator matters

The legal time limit for abortion on request indicates up to what stage of pregnancy a woman can decide on her own, without giving a reason. It makes it possible to compare the extent of this right across laws.

What makes this indicator vary

These limits result from legislative choices or court decisions, influenced by medicine, values and public debate. Laws change, sometimes in one direction, sometimes in the other.

Reading precautions

Only countries that set a limit in weeks are shown. Other legal frameworks (reasons required, prohibition) are not included here. The law does not tell actual access to care, and the ways of counting weeks may vary.

Full ranking

ranked from highest to lowest

RankCountryValueYear
1er🇨🇴 Colombia24 wks2026
1er🇳🇱 Netherlands24 wks2026
1er🇸🇬 Singapore24 wks2026
4e🇮🇸 Iceland22 wks2026
4e🇻🇳 Vietnam22 wks2026
6e🇳🇿 New Zealand20 wks2026
6e🇹🇭 Thailand20 wks2026
8e🇩🇰 Denmark18 wks2026
8e🇳🇴 Norway18 wks2026
8e🇸🇪 Sweden18 wks2026
11e🇫🇷 France16 wks2026
12e🇦🇷 Argentina14 wks2026
12e🇧🇪 Belgium14 wks2026
12e🇪🇸 Spain14 wks2026
12e🇱🇺 Luxembourg14 wks2026
12e🇲🇳 Mongolia14 wks2026
12e🇷🇴 Romania14 wks2026
18e🇦🇱 Albania12 wks2026
18e🇦🇲 Armenia12 wks2026
18e🇦🇿 Azerbaijan12 wks2026
18e🇧🇬 Bulgaria12 wks2026
18e🇧🇾 Belarus12 wks2026
18e🇨🇭 Switzerland12 wks2026
18e🇨🇻 Cape Verde12 wks2026
18e🇨🇺 Cuba12 wks2026
18e🇨🇾 Cyprus12 wks2026
18e🇨🇿 Czechia12 wks2026
18e🇩🇪 Germany12 wks2026
18e🇪🇪 Estonia12 wks2026
18e🇫🇮 Finland12 wks2026
18e🇬🇪 Georgia12 wks2026
18e🇬🇷 Greece12 wks2026
18e🇮🇪 Ireland12 wks2026
18e🇰🇿 Kazakhstan12 wks2026
18e🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan12 wks2026
18e🇰🇭 Cambodia12 wks2026
18e🇱🇹 Lithuania12 wks2026
18e🇱🇻 Latvia12 wks2026
18e🇲🇩 Moldova12 wks2026
18e🇲🇰 North Macedonia12 wks2026
18e🇲🇿 Mozambique12 wks2026
18e🇳🇵 Nepal12 wks2026
18e🇷🇺 Russia12 wks2026
18e🇸🇲 San Marino12 wks2026
18e🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe12 wks2026
18e🇸🇰 Slovakia12 wks2026
18e🇹🇯 Tajikistan12 wks2026
18e🇺🇦 Ukraine12 wks2026
18e🇺🇾 Uruguay12 wks2026
18e🇺🇿 Uzbekistan12 wks2026
18e🇿🇦 South Africa12 wks2026
52e🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina10 wks2026
52e🇭🇷 Croatia10 wks2026
52e🇲🇪 Montenegro10 wks2026
52e🇵🇹 Portugal10 wks2026
52e🇷🇸 Serbia10 wks2026
52e🇸🇮 Slovenia10 wks2026
52e🇹🇷 Türkiye10 wks2026
52e🇽🇰 Kosovo10 wks2026
60e🇬🇾 Guyana8 wks2026
61e🇹🇲 Turkmenistan5 wks2026

Frequently asked questions

Which country has the highest value for "Abortion on request: maximum legal time limit"?

The highest value is in Colombia, at 24 wks (2026).

Which country has the lowest value for "Abortion on request: maximum legal time limit"?

The lowest value is in Turkmenistan, at 5 wks (2026).

What is the world median value of "Abortion on request: maximum legal time limit"?

The world median is 12 wks, calculated across 61 countries: half of the countries are above it, the other half below.

What is the value of "Abortion on request: maximum legal time limit" for France?

France scores 16 wks (2026), ranking 11 out of 61 countries (ranked from highest to lowest).

Where does the "Abortion on request: maximum legal time limit" data come from?

It comes from Wikipédia, « Abortion law ». Site last updated: November 8, 2026. Each country is shown with the year of its most recent value.

What does abortion on request mean?

It means that the woman can choose to end her pregnancy without having to give a medical, social or other reason, within a time limit set by law.

How should the displayed limit be read?

It is the number of weeks of pregnancy up to which the law allows abortion on simple request. After that limit, other rules may apply, often requiring specific grounds.

Source and update

Source : Wikipédia, « Abortion law ». Site last updated: November 8, 2026.

Indicators in the same category : Health and reproductive rights