Argentina is officially part of the list of countries that guarantee the right to voluntary termination of pregnancy
Argentine Law 27.610 on Access to Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy.
On December 30, 2020, the Argentine Congress passed “Law on Access to Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy 27.610”. As a result, the intention of any woman or person who can get pregnant to voluntarily terminate pregnancy until the 14th week of pregnancy is no longer criminalised and it becomes legal.
The law passed by Senate was enacted by the Argentine President on January 15 through Executive-Order 14/2021 and it became effective throughout the country on January 24.
Since then, Argentina is officially part of the list of countries that guarantee the right to voluntary termination of pregnancy.
As set forth in Section 1, the purpose of the Law is to regulate access to the voluntary termination of pregnancy until the 14th week and to post-abortion care.
As from the 15th week, pregnancy can be legally terminated with cause (cases in which the life or health is at risk, or cases of sexual assault). Before adopting this Law, access to termination of pregnancy in Argentina was only available for cause, while the country has a mixed system now.
A pregnant individual does not need to meet any of the causes to be able to terminate pregnancy. All they need is to express their will, to receive clear, scientifically-evidenced information in adequate words; they need to sign an informed consent and to have access to the full health-care system (state-owned, privately-owned, and Health-Care providers), they must receive safe, quality care, they must be respectfully addressed, and their privacy must be guarded. This must all occur within 10 days as from the individual having expressed their intention.
In the event the health-care practitioner is a conscientious objector, they must refer the requestor to another professional to perform the practice.
Not only does the Law include comprehensive care to terminate pregnancy in a safe manner avoiding any complications related to any dangerous practice, as well as fatalities arising from insecure abortion, but it also offers the possibility to receive adequate information on how to prevent undesired pregnancies and on how to obtain contraceptive methods that adjust to each person’s needs.
The services guaranteed under this Law are included in the National Program on Health-Care Quality and in the Compulsory Medical Program (PMO, for its acronym in Spanish), which grant full coverage as well as diagnosis, drugs, and support therapies. Cost-free coverage and payment by social security companies and health-care providers is also guaranteed.
Argentina is officially part of the list of countries that guarantee the right to voluntary termination of pregnancy and thus strengthens its commitment to sexual and reproductive rights.