Government proposes abortion law updates in Norway nearly 50 years after legalization

The government is updating the abortion law nearly 50 years after its initial adoption. Health and Care Minister Jan Christian Vestre announced proposed changes to the law, which has largely remained unchanged since self-determined abortion was legalized in 1978.

“The current abortion law has played a crucial role for women across the country for decades. My goal is for the new law to also be effective for a long time to come,” Vestre stated.

Among the proposed changes is an extension of the self-determined abortion limit from 12 to 18 weeks. Vestre confirmed this during a press conference where he presented the legislative proposals, stating, “This aligns with current practice. Almost no one receives a rejection for abortion applications after week 12.”

In addition to the time extension, the government also suggests changes to the committees overseeing abortion requests and aims to enshrine the right of health personnel to object to performing abortions in law.