Abortion in Ukraine

Abortion in Ukraine is legal on request during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy. Between 12 and 28 weeks, abortion is available on a variety of grounds, including medical, social and personal grounds, and for any reason with the approval of a commission of physicians.

Prior to 1991, abortion in Ukraine was governed by the abortion laws of the Soviet Union. The laws have not changed since then. Abortion rates have fallen from 109 abortions per 1000 women aged 15–44 in 1986 to 80.9 in 1991, 67.2 in 1996 and 27.5 in 2004. As of 2010, the abortion rate was 21.2 abortions per 1000 women aged 15–44. The gap between the abortion rate in Ukraine and the abortion rates in Belarus and Russia has been widening since the 1990s.