If you are pregnant and don't want to continue your pregnancy, you can choose to have an abortion in Germany.
There are laws for this:
- An abortion may only be carried out by a gynaecologist .
- An abortion can usually only be done up to twelve weeks after the egg cell has been fertilized.
- Before the abortion you are required to have a consultation at a pregnancy (conflict) counselling centre. Immediately after the consultation, you will receive a counselling certificate. A counselling certificate is a document. The counselling certificate proves that you were at a counselling centre. You need the counselling certificate so that the gynaecologist can perform the abortion. There are also counselling centres that do not issue counselling certificates: Caritas and the Sozialdienst Katholischer Frauen (Catholic Women's Welfare Service) do not issue counselling certificates, but they also provide pregnancy counselling. You can find counselling centres in your area here.
- The gynaecologist may only terminate the pregnancy three days after the consultation, so that you have enough time to decide.
- If you are 16 years of age and older, you can decide for yourself whether you want to continue the pregnancy or not.
- If you are 14 to 16 years old, the gynaecologist will judge whether you are mature enough to decide for yourself. If the doctor thinks you are not mature enough, your parents must agree to the abortion. Your parents must tell the doctor that they are in agreement.
- If you are under 14 years of age, your parents must agree to your having an abortion. Your parents must tell the doctor that they are in agreement.
- No one is allowed to force you to have an abortion if you do not want it. However, no woman may be forced to carry out a pregnancy.