Laos
Legal | Abortion Pills | Local Organizations | Scam List
Abortion Laws and Policies
Overview
In Lao, regulations define necessary and considering indications for abortion. Necessary indications include severe and life threatening disease such as heart disease; pulmonary disease (e.g. pulmonary tuberculosis); Mental illness (psycho); based on the agreement and decision making of health provider. Considering indications include HIV/AIDS; genital tract cancer; when the pregnancy is the result of rape; contraceptive failure; severe anemia. E.g. Thalassemia; and based on the request of woman. For example, woman has many children (more than 4 children), poor woman and gestational age is not more than 12 weeks, and must be given counselling and obtain agreement from head of obstetric and
gynecology unit. In emergency case, it depends on the decision-making of head of staff for daily duty. Necessary fetal indications regarding the fetus include fetal malformation; hydrops fetalis and blighted Ovum; and considering fetal indications include down Syndrome; thalassemia and chromosomes and gene disorder.
Penal law criminalizes women and pregnant people for having an abortion outside of the legal conditions specified in the law. Abortion providers and any people assisting may be criminalized for an abortion outside of the legal conditions specified in the law..
Claim your rights
Access to abortion is a fundamental human right and a basic healthcare need. If you live in a country with restrictions to abortion access, you can visit Women on Web to request abortion pills or learn more about the local support and resources available in your country.
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.
Mifepristone
Mifepristone is not officially registered by the country’s pharmaceutical authority.
Misoprostol
Misoprostol is registered
It is registered for gynecological indications (such as birth, miscarriage treatment or abortion care etc.)
There is currently no data available on whether or not a prescription is needed to get Misoprostol.
There is no data on regulations around the distribution of Misoprostol available.
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. Specific instructions need to be followed to avoid overdosing the Diclofenac.
Local Organizations and Resources
No local organizations.
Scams
Watch out for fake abortion clinics and sellers online. See or contribute to our list of scams & stay safe!
Other Databases and Sources
These are the sources and databases used to gather the information listed on this country profile.
- 16.12.2022/WHO, Global Abortion Policies Database: https://abortion-policies.srhr.org/country/lao-peoples-republic/
- 11.09.2022/National Medicine Authority: http://www.fdd.gov.la/content_en.php?contID=40
- National Medicine Databank: -
- 16.12.2022/Reproductive Rights Map: https://reproductiverights.org/maps/worlds-abortion-laws/?country=LAO
- 16.12.2022/ Map of Norms regarding Conscientious Objection: https://www.redaas.org.ar/conscientious-objection-map
Community Comments
No comments.