Introduction
Today in Turkey abortion is legal. The Law on Population Planning No. 2827 introduced in 1983 ended the legal prohibition on abortion that had been in place since the founding of the Republic.[1] The law provides for abortion without restriction as to reason through ten weeks of pregnancy. If a woman is married spousal consent is required as is parental consent for those under age 18. If a pregnancy threatens a woman’s life or there is substantial fetal abnormality, abortion is permissible and the law states no gestational time limit. However, in such a case, the doctor must notify health authorities of the women’s identity, the procedure to be performed and the rationale before the procedure is performed, if possible, and in an emergency within notification must take place within twenty-four hours. For pregnancies that are the result of a crime, the Turkish criminal code allows for abortions through twenty weeks. Abortion care at state hospitals is covered by the state health insurance.