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Berlin: Difference between revisions
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→Laws & Social Stigmas
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===Laws & Social Stigmas=== | ===Laws & Social Stigmas=== | ||
In Germany, abortion is permitted in Germany for the first trimester. But there's one hard restriction: a woman must first seek counseling before getting an abortion. The goal of counseling, according to German law, is to "protect the unborn life. The counseling should encourage the woman to continue the pregnancy, and should help her see the opportunities of bringing up a child." After the counseling, the woman must observe a three-day "consideration period" during which she must decide if she wants the abortion. If she does want the abortion, she can proceed to do so, and the counselor will typically refer her to a clinic or hospital. | |||
Despite these restrictions, abortion in Germany, especially in Berlin, is very common. In the first trimester, legal reasons for an abortion include: to save the life of the woman, to preserve physical health, to preserve mental health, rape or incest, fetal impairment, economic or social reasons, and available on request. After the first trimester, abortions can be performed if the woman has mental/health problems or if there is potential risk to the fetus. But this is an exception, not the standard, and a case must be made. | |||
Before German reunification, West and East Germany had very different abortion policies. In East Germany, abortion was legal and common. Under the socialist government, abortion was seen as part of women's socio-economic equality. In West Germany, abortion was only permitted in certain scenarios, such as when there was a serious threat to the woman's life or child's health, or in instances of rape or incest. In some cases, women were allowed abortion due to socio-economic stress, but this determination could not be done by the woman; it was decided upon by a third party. When the country was reunified, a new abortion policy needed to be made to accommodate the country. The compromise between the laws of East Germany and West Germany brought the abortion laws of Germany today. | |||
While Berlin is a generally progressive city, some patients have reported unfriendly treatment at certain facilities. So, as always, it's important to research in advance. There are some Catholic hospitals that refuse to prescribe the abortion pill, even though it is legal, as well. However, Berlin has the most abortions out of any city in Germany each year, and it is reportedly much more tolerant toward abortion than more conservative regions of the country, such as Bavaria. | While Berlin is a generally progressive city, some patients have reported unfriendly treatment at certain facilities. So, as always, it's important to research in advance. There are some Catholic hospitals that refuse to prescribe the abortion pill, even though it is legal, as well. However, Berlin has the most abortions out of any city in Germany each year, and it is reportedly much more tolerant toward abortion than more conservative regions of the country, such as Bavaria. | ||