Abortion in France
Encyclopedia
Abortion is legal on-request in France
in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy (first trimester). Abortion has been decriminalized since the passage of the Veil Law
in 1975. Abortion
had been criminalized in France
with the imposition of the Napoleonic Code
. After the first trimester, two physicians must certify that the abortion will be done to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman; a risk to the life of the pregnant woman; or that the child will suffer from a particularly severe illness recognized as incurable.
During the Nazi occupation during World War II
, the Vichy régime
made abortion a capital crime
. (The last execution took place in 1942.) Following the war, the death penalty for abortion was abolished, and special courts were set up to deal with abortion cases.
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Illegal abortion rates remained fairly high during the post-war period, and increasing numbers of women began to travel to the United Kingdom
to procure abortions after the UK legalized abortion in 1967. France legalized abortion in 1975http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do;jsessionid=5713881B827A7AF55E7BA9322CABB747.tpdjo05v_1?cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006072665&idArticle=LEGIARTI000006687521&dateTexte=20101026&categorieLien=id#LEGIARTI000006687521, available on demand initially until the tenth week, later extended to the twelfth week of pregnancy
in 2001http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do;jsessionid=5713881B827A7AF55E7BA9322CABB747.tpdjo05v_1?cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006072665&idArticle=LEGIARTI000006687521&dateTexte=20101026&categorieLien=id#LEGIARTI000006687521.
Since 1982, abortions are taken in charge by the French social security system.http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000704429&dateTexte=20080504
It is customary to schedule abortions one week after the patient demands it as a "cool-off" period, but this delay can be shortened if the patient is getting close to the 12-week limit.
After the twelfth week, two physicians must certify that the patient’s health is endangered or there is a high likelihood that the fetus is handicapped by a non-curable serious illness; otherwise, abortion is illegal. Since 1994, French law has required that multidisciplinary diagnostic centers decide which birth defects are severe enough to make abortion after the 12 week limit permissiblehttp://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do?cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006072665&idArticle=LEGIARTI000006687544&dateTexte=&categorieLien=cid.
France was the first country to legalize the use of RU-486 as an abortifacient
in 1988, allowing its use up to seven weeks of pregnancy. By one estimate, a quarter of all French abortions now use RU-486.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy (first trimester). Abortion has been decriminalized since the passage of the Veil Law
Simone Veil
Simone Veil, DBE is a French lawyer and politician who served as Minister of Health under Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, President of the European Parliament and member of the Constitutional Council of France....
in 1975. Abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
had been criminalized in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with the imposition of the Napoleonic Code
Napoleonic code
The Napoleonic Code — or Code Napoléon — is the French civil code, established under Napoléon I in 1804. The code forbade privileges based on birth, allowed freedom of religion, and specified that government jobs go to the most qualified...
. After the first trimester, two physicians must certify that the abortion will be done to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman; a risk to the life of the pregnant woman; or that the child will suffer from a particularly severe illness recognized as incurable.
During the Nazi occupation during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Vichy régime
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
made abortion a capital crime
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
. (The last execution took place in 1942.) Following the war, the death penalty for abortion was abolished, and special courts were set up to deal with abortion cases.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to procure abortions after the UK legalized abortion in 1967. France legalized abortion in 1975http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do;jsessionid=5713881B827A7AF55E7BA9322CABB747.tpdjo05v_1?cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006072665&idArticle=LEGIARTI000006687521&dateTexte=20101026&categorieLien=id#LEGIARTI000006687521, available on demand initially until the tenth week, later extended to the twelfth week of pregnancy
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
in 2001http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do;jsessionid=5713881B827A7AF55E7BA9322CABB747.tpdjo05v_1?cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006072665&idArticle=LEGIARTI000006687521&dateTexte=20101026&categorieLien=id#LEGIARTI000006687521.
Since 1982, abortions are taken in charge by the French social security system.http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000704429&dateTexte=20080504
It is customary to schedule abortions one week after the patient demands it as a "cool-off" period, but this delay can be shortened if the patient is getting close to the 12-week limit.
After the twelfth week, two physicians must certify that the patient’s health is endangered or there is a high likelihood that the fetus is handicapped by a non-curable serious illness; otherwise, abortion is illegal. Since 1994, French law has required that multidisciplinary diagnostic centers decide which birth defects are severe enough to make abortion after the 12 week limit permissiblehttp://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do?cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006072665&idArticle=LEGIARTI000006687544&dateTexte=&categorieLien=cid.
France was the first country to legalize the use of RU-486 as an abortifacient
Abortifacient
An abortifacient is a substance that induces abortion. Abortifacients for animals that have mated undesirably are known as mismating shots....
in 1988, allowing its use up to seven weeks of pregnancy. By one estimate, a quarter of all French abortions now use RU-486.
See also
- AbortionAbortionAbortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
- Abortion lawAbortion lawAbortion law is legislation and common law which pertains to the provision of abortion. Abortion has been a controversial subject in many societies through history because of the moral, ethical, practical, and political power issues that surround it. It has been banned frequently and otherwise...
- Abortion debateAbortion debateThe abortion debate refers to discussion and controversy surrounding the moral and legal status of abortion. The two main groups involved in the abortion debate are the self-described "pro-choice" movement and the "pro-life" movement...
- Religion and abortionReligion and abortionMany religious traditions have taken a stance on abortion, and these stances span a broad spectrum as highlighted below.-Buddhism:There is no single Buddhist view concerning abortion. Traditional sources, such as the Buddhist monastic code, hold that life begins at conception and that abortion,...