Abortion in Sweden
Section 3 After the end of the eighteenth week of pregnancy an abortion may be performed only if the National Board of Health and Welfare has granted the woman permission for the procedure.
The procedure must be performed at a general hospital or other medical institution approved by the National Board of Health and Welfare.
The person in charge at the hospital or health care facility where the procedure has been performed must ensure that such an offer is made.
If an offence referred to in the first paragraph is gross, a prison sentence of a minimum of six months and a maximum of four years shall be imposed.
When assessing whether the offence is gross special consideration shall be given to whether the act was habitual or for profit or involved particular danger to the woman’s life or health.
That is, if the pregnancy constituted a serious threat to the woman's life, if she had been impregnated by rape, or if there was a considerable chance that any serious condition might be inherited by her child, she could request an abortion.
A committee investigated whether these conditions were met in each individual case and, as a result of this prolonged process, abortion was often not granted until the middle of the second trimester.
[3] Since 1 January 2008, foreign patients – including asylum applicants, non-permanent residents, and those not registered in Sweden – are allowed to get an abortion in the country.
The National Board of Health and Welfare called this a comparably small figure, in relation to the total number of abortions.
Among the board's responsibilities are evaluation and monitoring of abortions performed in Sweden, as well as establishing norms by issuing provisions and general advice.
[6] The fact that most women in the younger age groups are still studying, combined with them being new on the labour market, influences the choice to perform abortion.
[14] A 2024 report by Pew Research Center revealed that 95% of Swedish adults believed that abortion should be legal in all or most cases.
The Swedish Association for Sexuality Education has responded by stating that a lot of political arguments stem from misinformation and lack of knowledge.
[17] Människorätt för ofödda [sv] (MRO, Human rights for the unborn) is a politically and religiously independent organization.
They aim to promote right to life for those unborn by non-violent protests, showing pictures of fetuses, and supporting pregnant women.
[18] Ja till livet [sv] (Yes to life) is a non-profit organization which aims to influence the debate on human dignity within abortion, fetal diagnoses and elderly care.
The Catholic Church believes that human life is created at the point of conception, thus abortion should not be permitted unless both mother and the child are in danger.
[21] A Catholic movement, Respekt (Respect), aims to promote human life from conception to death, meaning that, among other positions, they stand against abortions and euthanasia.
[22] In 2014, a controversial lawsuit was launched by midwife Ellinor Grimmark against the health authorities in Jönköping region because they refused to provide her with a job as she would not carry out abortions or prescribe contraceptives due to her religious beliefs.
The case had financial support from a well-known Christian anti-abortion organisation in the US, Alliance Defending Freedom, which has interests in limiting abortion access in Europe.
