A Swedish Government-commissioned investigation has recommended a legislative change that would allow home abortions without requiring patients to visit a clinic for their first prescription, in the first related reform nearly half a century since the abortion law came into force.
The report submitted several proposed amendments, which include provisions on how medical abortion can be carried out at home, recommendations for adapting the law to medical advancements, and proposals to modernise the language of the abortion law.
While women have the freedom to choose their preferred method, current legislation requires that the first abortion pill be taken in a clinic, reports Jurist News.
For home abortions, the procedure must be carried out before the tenth week of pregnancy, with the second medication taken at home to complete the process.
The proposal now seeks to allow home abortions fully but continues to require that medical abortion must be offered by clinics.
Around 35 000 abortions are performed in Sweden each year, with 96% being medical abortions done either in clinics or at home.
Midwife Åsa Mörner, a board member of the Swedish Association of Health Professionals, welcomed the proposed changes, particularly the removal of the clinic visit requirement.
“The proposals are positive, especially the removal of the requirement to visit an abortion clinic since there could be women who have difficulties with that, for example, if they have to travel far,” she said.
Abortions after the twelfth week of pregnancy must continue to be conducted in hospitals due to the need for additional medication and pain management, recommended the commission.
The Swedish Abortion Act, enacted in 1974, granted women the right to decide for themselves whether to terminate a pregnancy within the first 18 weeks, and it has remained unchanged since then. In June 2023, the government launched an inquiry to assess potential changes to abortion legislation, aiming to align it with medical advancements and prioritise the needs of pregnant individuals.
Now, Swedish Minister of Health Acko Ankarberg Johansson will review the proposals and report on how they will be implemented. These changes will potentially bring Sweden in line with other Nordic countries, such as Norway and Iceland, where similar reforms have already been adopted.
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