The ruling means women from neighbouring Sweden and Denmark where “selective reduction” abortions – meaning aborting one or more foetuses and leaving at least one behind – are illegal can come to Norway for the procedure.
As hospitals are not required to ask for a fixed address there are fears the move could lead to a rise in “abortion tourism” – though foreign women will have to pay for the procedure, Dagsavisen reported.
Several women from other Scandinavian countries are already said to have contacted Norwegian hospitals about the procedure, national broadcaster NRK reported.
It comes after lawyers at the Norwegian Department of Justice ruled in February thatselective reduction procedures should be treated no differently to other types of abortion under Norwegian law.
Now the Department of Health has ruled this applies to foreign women as well.
Currently women are allowed to terminate a pregnancy until the end of the 12th week in Norway.
Dr Torunn Janbu, an official at the ministry, told The Local: “We don’t as the Directorate have anything to say about the ethics. “We just inform the local health services about how to apply the law.”
Source : The Independent.
As hospitals are not required to ask for a fixed address there are fears the move could lead to a rise in “abortion tourism” – though foreign women will have to pay for the procedure, Dagsavisen reported.
Several women from other Scandinavian countries are already said to have contacted Norwegian hospitals about the procedure, national broadcaster NRK reported.
It comes after lawyers at the Norwegian Department of Justice ruled in February thatselective reduction procedures should be treated no differently to other types of abortion under Norwegian law.
Now the Department of Health has ruled this applies to foreign women as well.
Currently women are allowed to terminate a pregnancy until the end of the 12th week in Norway.
Dr Torunn Janbu, an official at the ministry, told The Local: “We don’t as the Directorate have anything to say about the ethics. “We just inform the local health services about how to apply the law.”
Source : The Independent.
