Abortion
Te whakatahe
If you are considering an abortion you will need to see a doctor. You can see a doctor at a Family Planning Clinic or you can see your own doctor.
An abortion is safest when carried out within the first three months of pregnancy, so it is important that you make your decision within this time.
It is legal for you to have an abortion if two consultants agree that this pregnancy would seriously harm your mental or physical health or that your baby would have a serious disability. They may also consider your age and whether the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. Different criteria apply if you are more than 20 weeks pregnant. Your doctor will be able to advise on this.
Your doctor will arrange for you to see the consultants. If your doctor will not arrange for you to see the consultants, you can go to another doctor. You will also be offered the opportunity to talk to a counsellor.
The legal side.
- Abortions are legal in New Zealand as long as you have met the criteria above.
- There is no legal age limit on the person having the abortion. This means that a female of any age can consent to an abortion - or refuse to have one.
- Girls under 16 do not need to inform their parents or seek parental consent.
- A woman does not need the consent of her partner before having an abortion.
- The father cannot force his partner to have an abortion.
Are there complications arising from abortion?
It is safer to have an abortion before you are 12 weeks pregnant. One in 20 women will have a problem such as heavy bleeding or infection after an abortion. It is very unlikely that the operation will stop you becoming pregnant in the future. However, it is important for women to have their post termination check up after the abortion to ensure that if there are any problems they are treated immediately and to talk about future conception.
Some women experience strong emotions after having an abortion. There are counsellors who specialise in working with women who have had an abortion - it can be very useful to talk through your feelings with one of them.