Abortion Law In Ireland & Northern Ireland

The Abortion Act 1967 does not apply Northern Ireland. The law in Northern Ireland stems from the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 which makes it illegal to seek to terminate a pregnancy or help a woman terminate pregnancy except where it poses a serious long-term or permanent threat to the mental or physical health of the woman. This includes suicide. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment.

WHERE AN ABORTION IS LEGAL, IT NEEDS TO BE PERFORMED UNDER 9 WEEKS 4 DAYS GESTATION. WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN PREGNANT FOR OVER 9 WEEKS WILL NEED TO TRAVEL TO ENGLAND FOR TREATMENT.

NUPAS are pleased to confirm that, following the landmark announcement that women from Northern Ireland will be able to access funded abortions, NUPAS will now provide abortions to women travelling from Northern Ireland at no charge.

There are reports of women in Northern Ireland ordering the medication required for an early medical abortion online; this is not advised as it puts them at risk of a lengthy prison sentence.

Abortion is legal in Republic of Ireland only up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, or if continuing with the pregnancy endangers the life of the woman.  Abortion care can also be accessed legally if there is a diagnosis of fetal abnormality.  This is inline with the Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy Bill 2018.

The Irish Family Planning Association can provide you with information on abortion services abroad in a face-to-face-counselling session.

We have a list of useful contacts in Ireland that provide support and to arrange your travel.

Women in Ireland can’t be prevented from travelling to access safe and legal abortion treatment in other countries.

An estimated 5,000 women from Ireland travel to the England every year to access abortion treatment with safe and legal abortion clinics.

Abortion is legal in England and Wales, up to 24 weeks of pregnancy, within certain conditions.