Abortion and Legal Issues

Abortion According to the Laws In Turkey

In Turkey, the limits of the legal period of abortion have been regulated by the Law on Population Planning dated 1983 and the Turkish Penal Code dated 2004 regarding the termination of pregnancies. According to these laws, the legal limit for optional abortion is until the end of the 10th week of pregnancy. The Law on Population Planning dated 1983 allows for abortion until the end of the10th week of pregnancy, without stipulating any other condition. If the baby has a condition such as disability etc. or if the baby's heartbeat is not observed, the limit for termination of pregnancy is up until the end of the 24th week of pregnancy, when the fetal viability is considered to begin. A single woman over 18 years of age can have an abortion at her sole discretion at any time until the end of the 10th week of her pregnancy. Abortions should be performed not later than the end of the 10th week of pregnancy, and it is necessary to obtain the consent of the parents for those under 18 years of age and the consent of the husband for married women over 18 years of age.

Is Abortion Forbidden?

Abortion is not illegal in our country but the laws of our country allow optional abortion until the end of the 10th week of pregnancy. However, if the baby has a condition such as disability etc. or if the baby's heartbeat is not observed, the limit for termination of pregnancy is up until the end of the 24th week of pregnancy, when the fetal viability is considered to begin.. If the parents do not want to continue the pregnancy, abortion should be performed as soon as possible, because the larger the baby, the more serious the problems that may be encountered in the postoperative period.

Who Can Have An Abortion At Her Sole Discretion?

Unmarried women over 18 years of age can have abortion at their sole discretion, provided that they comply with the limit that is until the end of the10th week of pregnancy, which is the legal period specified in the laws in Turkey. Parental consent is required for women under 18 years of age, and husband consent for married women. If there is a crime such as sexual assault against individuals under 18 years of age, it is obligatory for the physician to report the situation to the law enforcement officers. Otherwise, there will be penal conditions for physicians as per the relevant articles of the Turkish Penal Code.

What to Ask Yourself When Deciding on Having an Abortion

Am I ready to be a parent? ; Am I able to take the responsibility for having a child? ; Can I handle the psychological effects of having an abortion? ; How can having children now affect my and my family's future? ; Am I conscious of what should be known about abortion? ; What did I think about other women when they had abortions? ; What will people around me think about my decision abortion? Answer the questions, and evaluate what your answers mean to you. You can evaluate your answers in consultation with your partner, family members, friends, a psychologist or physician. We recommend you to decide on whether or not you will have an abortion based on the result of this evaluation, without wasting much time considering the legal time limit of 10 weeks.