New Zealand Government Proposes Law to Decriminalize Abortion

New Zealand Government Proposes Law to Decriminalize Abortion
An ultrasound image of a baby in the 18th week of pregnancy. ("Baby McBride Ultrasound 17 Weeks 6 Days (3)" by Nogwater/Flickr[CC BY-SA-2.0 (ept.ms/2utDIe9)])
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WELLINGTON—The New Zealand government plans to decriminalize abortion and classify pregnancy termination as a health issue only, the government said on Monday in what would be the first major reform to abortion laws in more than four decades.

The legislation aims to liberalize the abortion laws of 1977, which legalized abortion up until 20 weeks of pregnancy if two doctors agreed that continuing the pregnancy would result in danger to the mother’s mental or physical health.