Abortion in New Zealand

Abortion in New Zealand is currently legal when the pregnancy is for under 20 weeks gestation, or over 20 weeks in certain circumstances where it would harm the mother. Abortions after 12 weeks gestation must be performed in a 'licensed institution,' generally understood to be a hospital. Abortions must be approved by two doctors—one of whom must be a gynaecologist or obstetrician—and may be subject to counseling.

The Abortion Supervisory Committee reported that there was 18,511 abortions performed in New Zealand in 2003. According to 2003 figures by Statistics New Zealand, there were 21.0 abortions per 1000 women. This equates to roughly 247 per 1000 known pregnancies. Split amongst ethnicity in 2002 the highest rates were amongst Asian women (374), followed by Maori (245), Pacific Island women (243) and European women (209).

New Zealand's abortion rate (number of abortions per women aged 15–44 years) is slightly below Australia's (22.2), and the United States (21.3), but above Japan's (13.8), Finland and Scotland's (both 10.9) and many European countries.

Since 2003 abortion clinics have been able to administer medical abortions. (Taking one medication to end the embryo, and another to expel the remains.)

Grounds for an abortion

In New Zealand a pregancy can be terminated for a variety of reasons:

• to save the life of the woman
• to preserve the physical health of the woman
• to preserve the mental health of the woman
• foetal impairment
• in cases of rape or incest

It should be noted that rape itself cannot be the reason for the abortion but will be taken in account in the decision.

History of abortion in New Zealand

Abortion remained illegal at independence under the British Offences Against the Person Act of 1861. Illegal abortions continued to occur, however, and it was generally understood that abortions performed in good faith to protect the life of the mother or her mental or physical health would not lead to prosecution. The 1936 Committee of Enquiry headed by D.G. McMilland reported that one in five pregnancies in New Zealand resulted in an induced abortion. Many pregnant women died, were injured or infected, or abused by practitioners of illegal abortion. In the 1940s, the discovery of antibiotics made infection less likely, which also meant some doctors were more likely to assist.

Public debate increased following the legalization of abortion in Britain in 1967 and in South Australia in 1969. This led to the passage of the Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act of 1977. The law caused much confusion over the demarcation of certain restrictions as to when an abortion would be legal, and led to a series of amendments that were passed in the following year to clarify the Parliament's intentions.

External links and references

• Statistics New Zealand – abortion statistics (also has the current laws)
• McMillan D G (1937). Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Various Aspects of the Problem of Abortion in New Zealand, Government Printer, Wellington.