Letônia
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Abortion Laws and Policies
Overview
Abortion is permitted on request and in cases of rape up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. It is permitted up to 24 weeks of pregnancy if the pregnancy endangers the woman or person’s health and for medical indications. Abortion is also permitted in case of foetal impairment. For this case no limitation regarding the lengths of pregnancy is mentioned in the legal text.
A certificate of law enforcement is required in cases of rape. Minors under the age of 16 are required to obtain parental or their legal guardians written consent for an abortion, as well as a confirmation by the council of doctors for medical indications, or a certificate by law enforcement in case of rape. If there is a dispute between the patient and the parent or legal guardian, it is necessary to obtain a decision of the Orphans Court (Parish Court). Abortion seekers are required to go through mandatory counseling. Counted from the counselling there is a mandatory waiting period of 72 days in place before the abortion can be done.
Doctors and abortion providers may be criminalized for providing 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, if there are no medical reasons for ending the pregnancy.
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.
There is no data on regulations around the distribution of Mifepristone available.
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.
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:
MisoOne 400 mcg (Nordic Pharma)
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.
- 08.08.2022/Medical Abortion Commodities Database: https://www.medab.org/advanced-search-multiple-results?country=443&commodity=all&brand=all#multiple-search-result
- 09.08.2022/WHO, Global Abortion Policies Database: https://abortion-policies.srhr.org/country/latvia/
- 23.08.2022/National Medicine Authority: https://dati.zva.gov.lv/zalu-registrs/en/
- 23.08.2022/European Abortion Policies Atlas: https://europe.ippf.org/resource/european-abortion-policies-atlas
- 14.12.2022/REDAAS conscientious objection map: https://www.redaas.org.ar/conscientious-objection-map
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