Germany
Updated: 2022-12-14 Legal | Abortion Pills | Local Organizations | Community Comments | Scam List
Abortion Laws and Policies
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Access to abortion is a fundamental human right and a basic healthcare. If you live in a country where access to abortion is restricted, you can get abortion pills through Women on Web.
Local context
Abortion is permitted on request up to 12 weeks counting from conception. It is also permitted in cases of rape or if the pregnancy is result of an illegal act (child sexual abuse; sexual assault, sexual abuse of persons incapable of resistance) up to 12 weeks. Abortion is also permitted if the pregnancy endangers the woman or person's physical health, mental health or life. For these cases no limitation regarding the lengths of pregnancy is mentioned in the legal text.
For an abortion on request a person is required to go through mandatory counseling (“Schwangerschaftskonfliktberatung”) prior to abortion. There is a mandatory waiting period of 3 days in place before the abortion can be done. Abortion cost is covered by the state in cases of rape or for women and pregnant people that can prove that they are under a certain income limit. The reimbursement (“Kostenerstattung”) needs to be applied for before the abortion takes place at any public health insurance provider.
Penal law criminalizes women and pregnant people for doing an abortion outside of the legal conditions specified in the law. Also abortion providers and any persons assisting may be criminalized for an abortion outside of the legal conditions specified in the law. Medical practitioners and providers have the right to refuse abortion services based on personal beliefs. So-called conscientious objection cannot be practiced if the life of the woman or pregnant person is at risk.
About Abortion Pills
An abortion with pills is a safe and effective way to end a pregnancy at home. There are two ways to have an abortion with pills:
- Have an abortion with a pill called Mifepristone and another pill called Misoprostol;
- Have an abortion with the pill Misoprostol only.
You already have abortion pills? Find instructions, information around dosage, safety precautions and tips here or contact the Women on Web Help Desk Team to guide you through the process at info@womenonweb.org
Mifepristone
Mifepristone is officially registered by the country’s pharmaceutical authority.
Mifepristone can be bought in no
Misoprostol
Misoprostol is officially registered by the country’s pharmaceutical authority.
There is no data available on whether Misoprostol is registered for gynecological indications (such as birth, miscarriage treatment or abortion care etc.), or if it is registered for other purposes only (such as arthritis or gastric ulcers etc.)..
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Misoprostol can be bought in no
Brand names
These are brand names under which Mifepristone, Misoprostol or Combi Packs (that contain both abortion pills Mifepristone and Misoprostol) are officially distributed and/or commonly found in the country.
Mifepristone:
Mifegyne 200 mg (Exelgyn)
Misoprostol:
MisoOne 400 mcg (Exelgyn)
Cytotec 200 mcg Pfizer Ltd
Arthrotec forte (200 mcg) **contains Diclofenac
Safety notice: There are pills that contain a combination of Misoprostol and the painkiller Diclofenac. While manufactured for a different purpose they can still be used for abortion. Please find more info in our FAQ to avoid overdosing the Diclofenac.
Cost of Abortion Pills
These are comments about the estimated cost of abortion pills in your country.
The actual costs of abortion pills are often difficult to determine, vary and change over time. Fill out our questionnaire to add and share your experience.
Organizations and Resources
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Scams
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Join this project
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Other Databases and Sources
These are the sources and databases used to gather the information listed on this country profile.
- 08.08.2022/Medical Abortion Commodities Database: https://www.medab.org/advanced-search-multiple-results?country=405&commodity=all&brand=all#multiple-search-result
- 08.08.2022/National Medicine Authority: https://www.pharmnet-bund.de/dynamic/de/arzneimittel-informationssystem/index.html
- 09.08.2022/WHO, Global Abortion Policies Database: https://abortion-policies.srhr.org/country/germany/
- 14.12.2022/REDAAS conscientious objection map: https://www.redaas.org.ar/conscientious-objection-map
- 14.12.2022/Center for Reproductive Rights. The World’s Abortion Laws: https://reproductiverights.org/maps/worlds-abortion-laws/
Germany abortion clinics and associations
For more information on where to obtain an abortion in Germany :
Women on Waves publishes information of fined German abortion provider on its website
On November 24 th, the German doctor Kristina Haenel was fined 6000 euro for…
Community Comments
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