Status – Legal. No upper gestational limit.

Details – 2 doctors approval required after 22 weeks' gestation.

Conscientious Objection -

Health practitioners may conscientiously object to participating in abortion services. This includes:

  • Refusing to perform, assist, or advise on an abortion procedure.

Legal obligations when objecting:

  • Mandatory referral: If a health practitioner has a conscientious objection, they must:
    • Inform the patient of their objection; and
    • Refer the patient to another registered health practitioner, or service, who does not have such an objection and is reasonably able to provide the service.

Emergency exception:

  • In an emergency, where abortion is necessary to save the pregnant person’s life or prevent serious injury, practitioners must provide care regardless of objection.

Practical point - Reports to PHPA from paramedics of increased call outs for abdominal pain and bleeding secondary to abortion drugs. Visiting medical officers to regional areas avoid prescribing abortion drugs due to the limited resources to be able to respond to complications.

Link to legislation –