Abortion in Norway

In Norway, you have the right to decide to have an abortion up to week 12 of your pregnancy. You can choose between a surgical or medical abortion. If you opt for a medical abortion, you can choose whether to have this done in hospital or at home. If you wish to have an abortion after week 12 (11 weeks and six days), you will have to apply to a special medical assessment board to have the abortion approved.

Abortion limits in Norway
Abortion legislation in Norway entitles a pregnant woman the right to self-determined abortion up until week 12 of pregnancy (11 weeks and six days). The length of pregnancy is estimated from the first day of the last menstrual period. The earliest you can have an abortion is week six of the pregnancy, and this can be done either medically or surgically. The method that is used will depend on how far your pregnancy has come, and possibly other medical assessments.

Is an abortion free of charge?
An abortion is free of charge if you live in Norway, or if you are from a country in the EU or a country that has an agreement with Norway that includes Norwegian healthcare services. If you are unsure of whether you will have to pay for the procedure, please contact us and we can help you find out. You are entitled to have an abortion in Norway while you are in the country.

Abortion before week 12
You are free to choose between a surgical or medical abortion, as long as it is considered medically sound. The hospital will give you information about both methods at the pre-examination in hospital.

Abortion after week 12
If you want an abortion after the end of week 12 of your pregnancy (11 weeks and six days), you must apply for permission for the procedure. An abortion after the end of pregnancy week 12 can only be performed at a hospital. Contact a hospital with a medical assessment board, or your GP or gynaecologist. You or the doctor you contact must submit a written justification stating why you wish to terminate the pregnancy. The doctor will then send the justification along with a request for an abortion and other necessary and relevant medical information to the medical assessment board at the hospital.

Medical assessment board
A medical assessment board is comprised of two doctors, and it processes applications for abortions after week 12 of the pregnancy. Once the application has been received and processed, you will be invited to a meeting with the board. Some may prefer to participate via video. If you wish, you may have someone accompany you to the board meeting. You have the right to meet with the board, but you are not required to attend.

At the board meeting, you will have the chance to explain further why you wish to terminate the pregnancy. The medical assessment board will give serious consideration to your personal views on the situation. Should you receive a rejection, the case will automatically be sent to the appeals board for abortion cases. 

Source: Helsenorge