Abortion in Israel

Abortion in Israel is legal under certain circumstances, subject to the approval of a committee for pregnancy termination.

Abortion in Israel is legal under certain circumstances, with the approval of a committee for pregnancy termination. Approval for an abortion in Israel by a termination committee is given if the woman is unmarried, because of age (if the woman is under the age of 17 - the legal marriage age in Israel - or over the age 40), the pregnancy was conceived under illegal circumstances (rape, statutory rape, etc.) or an incestuous relationship, birth defects , risk of health to the mother, and life of the mother. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics report from 2004, in 2003 most abortion requests were granted, with 19,500 legal abortions performed and 200 requests for abortion denied. Reasons for termination went as follows: the woman was unmarried (42%), because of illegal circumstances (11%), health risks to the woman (about 20%), age of the woman (11%) and fetal birth defects (about 17%). Women who would not qualify for an abortion under the statutory scheme may seek an abortion at a private clinic. About half of all abortions in Israel are performed illegally in private doctors' clinics without the approval from a committee. Women who get such an abortion do not face criminal penalties, but physicians who perform them face a fine or up to five years' imprisonment, but there have been no known prosecutions of doctors for performing illegal abortions. About 40,000 abortions take place in Israel every year, about half of them legal. icon Central Bureau of Statistics. Patterns of Fertility in Israel in 2004 DOC .

Abortion in Israel is permitted when determined by a termination committee under limited circumstances such as rape, concerns about the age of the woman, or birth defects, with the vast majority of cases being approved as of 2019 . The rate of abortion in Israel has steadily declined since 1988. Compared to the world, abortion rates in Israel are moderate. According to government data, in Israel, abortion rates in 2016 have dropped steadily to 9 per 1,000 women of childbearing age, lower than England (16.2) and the United States (13.2). 99% of abortions are carried out in the first trimester. Abortion in Israel had been illegal prior to 1977. It became legal subject to termination committee approval under the penal code of 1978. Despite raging controversy in the United States, no American aid money is used for abortions in Israel. Prior to 2014 approval for an abortion in Israel by a termination committee was given under limited circumstances, such as if the woman was unmarried, age considerations (if the woman was under the age of 18 - the legal marriage age in Israel - or over the age of 40), the pregnancy was conceived under illegal circumstances (rape, statutory rape, etc.) or an incestuous relationship, birth defects , or risk to the health or life of the mother. Subsequent to 2014, abortion up to the age of 33 can be provided for under the nationally funded health basket. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics report from 2004, in 2003, most abortion requests were granted, with 19,500 legal abortions performed and 200 requests for abortion denied. Reasons for termination went as follows: The woman was unmarried (42%), illegal circumstances (11%), health risks to the woman (about 20%), age of the woman (11%), and fetal birth defects (about 17%). Women who would not qualify for an abortion under the statutory scheme may seek an abortion at a private clinic, although abortion in a private clinic is illegal. It was reported in 2012 that about half of all abortions in Israel were performed in private clinics, i.e., without committee approval. Women who undergo such an abortion do not face criminal penalties, but physicians who perform them face a fine or up to five years' imprisonment; however, there have been no known prosecutions of physicians for performing non-committee-approved abortions. About 20,000 abortions take place in Israel every year, with the figure remaining steady despite a substantial increase in the population. The Penal Regulations (Termination of Pregnancy), 5738-1978 "Trump's Ban on Funding for Overseas Abortion" . Patterns of Fertility in Israel in 2004 DOC .

Abortion in Israel is permitted when determined by a termination committee, with the vast majority of cases being approved, as of 2019 . The rate of abortion in Israel has steadily declined since 1988, and compared to the rest of the world, abortion rates in Israel are moderate. According to government data, in Israel, abortion rates in 2016 dropped steadily to 9 per 1,000 women of childbearing age, lower than England (16.2) and the United States (13.2). 99% of abortions are carried out in the first trimester. Despite allegations of permitting abortion under limited circumstances, Haaretz noted in 2019 that this is not the case, and abortion is almost always permitted in Israel. Abortion in Israel had been illegal, but became legal, subject to a termination committee's approval, under the penal code of 1977. Prior to 2014, approval for an abortion in Israel by a termination committee was given under limited circumstances, such as if the woman was unmarried, age considerations (if the woman was under the age of 18 – the legal marriage age in Israel – or over the age of 40), the pregnancy was conceived under illegal circumstances (rape, statutory rape, etc.) or an incestuous relationship, birth defects , or risk to the life or health of the mother. Subsequent to 2014, abortion up to the age of 33 can be provided for under the nationally funded health basket. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics report from 2004, in 2003, most abortion requests were granted, with 19,500 legal abortions performed and 200 requests for abortion denied. Reasons for termination went as follows: The woman was unmarried (42%), illegal circumstances (11%), health risks to the woman (about 20%), age of the woman (11%), and fetal birth defects (about 17%). Women who would not qualify for an abortion under the statutory scheme may seek an abortion at a private clinic, although abortion in a private clinic is illegal. It was reported in 2012 that about half of all abortions in Israel were performed in private clinics, i. e., without committee approval. Women who undergo such an abortion do not face criminal penalties, but physicians who perform them face a fine, or up to five years' imprisonment; however, there have been no known prosecutions of physicians for performing non-committee-approved abortions. About 20,000 abortions take place in Israel every year, with the figure remaining steady, despite a substantial increase in the population. (in Hebrew) Central Bureau of Statistics. Patterns of Fertility in Israel in 2004 DOC .