In the UK (England, Scotland, and Wales), you can legally have an abortion up to 23 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy under the Abortion Act 1967. After 24 weeks, abortion is only permitted in very limited circumstances, such as if there is a severe fetal abnormality or if continuing the pregnancy poses a significant risk to the woman's life or physical/mental health. Approval from two doctors is required for abortions to be carried out. A significant legal change in 2025 decriminalised abortion for women, meaning women can no longer be prosecuted for ending their pregnancies regardless of the gestational stage. However, the 24-week gestational limit and other legal requirements remain in place, and healthcare professionals must still adhere to these rules. Abortions beyond 24 weeks without exceptional justification are still criminalized, but women themselves are protected from prosecution for terminating their own pregnancies. In Northern Ireland, the law differs slightly, with abortion unconditionally legal up to 12 weeks, and similar restrictions to the rest of the UK after that. In summary:
- Abortion legal up to 23 weeks and 6 days in most of the UK
- After 24 weeks, only allowed in exceptional cases (severe fetal abnormalities, risk to woman’s life)
- Two doctors must approve the abortion
- Women are protected from prosecution for terminating pregnancies at any time, but doctors and providers must follow the law
- Early medical abortions (pills at home) are allowed up to 10 weeks
This reflects the current legal framework as of 2025, including recent reforms that removed criminal penalties for women themselves but maintained medical and legal safeguards for late-term abortions.
