Netherlands
Legal | Abortion Pills | Local Organizations | Scam List
Abortion Laws and Policies
Overview
Abortion is permitted up to 24 weeks of pregnancy in case of fetal impairment or if the pregnancy endangers the woman or person’s health or life. It is also permitted in case of distress, which leaves the woman no other choice. For this case, no limitation regarding the lengths of pregnancy is mentioned in the legal text.
Minors under the age of 16 are required to obtain parental or adult consent for an abortion.
Abortion seekers are required to go through mandatory counseling prior to abortion.
There is a mandatory waiting period of 5 days from the point of first consultation with the doctor before the abortion can be done.
Abortion is free of charge.
Abortion providers 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.
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 officially registered by the country’s pharmaceutical authority.
A doctor's prescription may be required to get Mifepristone.
Mifepristone can be bought in pharmacy distribution
Misoprostol
Misoprostol is registered
It is registered for gynecological indications (such as birth, miscarriage treatment or abortion care etc.)
A doctor's prescription may be required to get Misoprostol.
Misoprostol can be bought in Pharmacy distribution
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.
Brand names
Mifepristone:
Mifegyne 200 mg (Exelgyn)
Misoprostol:
Cytotec 200 mcg Pfizer Ltd
Arthrotec 50 or 75 (200 mcg) **contains Diclofenac
Diclofenacnatrium/Misoprostol 50 mg/200 mcg **contains Diclofenac
Angusta 25 mcg
Combipack:
Sunmedabon: 1 mifepristone 200 mg/ 4 misoprostol 200 mcg
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.
- 09.08.2022/Medical Abortion Commodities Database: https://www.medab.org/advanced-search-multiple-results?country=475&commodity=all&brand=all#multiple-search-result
- 09.08.2022/National Medicine Authority; Mifepristone: https://www.geneesmiddeleninformatiebank.nl/ords/f?p=111:2::SEARCH::RP,2:P0_DOMAIN,P0_LANG,P2_QS,P2_AS_PROD,P2_AS_RVGNR,P2_AS_EU1,P2_AS_EU2,P2_AS_ACTSUB,P2_AS_INACTSUB,P2_AS_NOTINACT,P2_AS_ADDM,P2_AS_ARMM,P2_AS_APPDATE,P2_AS_APPDATS,P2_AS_ATC,P2_AS_PHARM,P2_AS_MAH,P2_AS_ROUTE,P2_AS_AUTHS,P2_AS_TGTSP,P2_AS_INDIC,P2_AS_TXTF,P2_AS_TXTI,P2_AS_TXTC,P2_RESPAGE,P2_SORT,P2_RESPPG,P2_OPTIONS:H,EN,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5Cmifepriston%5C,%5C%5C,N,N,N,,,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,1,PRODA,10,N
- 09.08.2022/National Medicine Authority; Misprostol:https://www.geneesmiddeleninformatiebank.nl/ords/f?p=111:2::SEARCH::RP,2:P0_DOMAIN,P0_LANG,P2_QS,P2_AS_PROD,P2_AS_RVGNR,P2_AS_EU1,P2_AS_EU2,P2_AS_ACTSUB,P2_AS_INACTSUB,P2_AS_NOTINACT,P2_AS_ADDM,P2_AS_ARMM,P2_AS_APPDATE,P2_AS_APPDATS,P2_AS_ATC,P2_AS_PHARM,P2_AS_MAH,P2_AS_ROUTE,P2_AS_AUTHS,P2_AS_TGTSP,P2_AS_INDIC,P2_AS_TXTF,P2_AS_TXTI,P2_AS_TXTC,P2_RESPAGE,P2_SORT,P2_RESPPG,P2_OPTIONS:H,EN,%5Cmisoprostol%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,N,N,N,,,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,%5C%5C,1,PRODA,10,N
- 27.12.2022/WHO, Global Abortion Policies Database: https://abortion-policies.srhr.org/country/netherlands/
- 23.08.2022/European Abortion Policies Atlas: https://europe.ippf.org/resource/european-abortion-policies-atlas
- 27.12.2022/Reproductive Rights Map: https://reproductiverights.org/maps/worlds-abortion-laws/?country=NLD
- 27.12.2022/Global Map of Norms regarding Conscientious Objection: https://www.redaas.org.ar/conscientious-objection-m
Netherlands: Abortion Law
Abortion is legal until fetus is viable outside of the body of the mother…
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