Abortion in Georgia: what changes have been made to the law?

Abortion law in Georgia

The law on abortion in Georgia has been amended, according to which in case of violation of the 5-day abortion planning period, the issue of professional responsibility of the doctor is raised.

Paragraphs concerning medical abortion have also been edited:

● If the gestational age is less than 7 weeks, medical abortion should be performed at a first-level prenatal facility;

● Abortion should be performed by a certified obstetrician-gynecologist in a medical facility authorized to perform obstetric and gynecological activities

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What else has changed?

● In case of artificial termination of pregnancy of more than 12 weeks’ duration, medical intervention by any method must be carried out only in a hospital-type medical institution authorized to carry out obstetric and gynecological interventions.

● A clause was added stating that after consultation before abortion and expiration of the specified 5-day review period, the results of X-ray examination before the procedure must be recorded and the image placed in the patient’s medical records

● Pre-abortion consultation with an obstetrician-gynecologist, as well as a social worker and psychologist, will become mandatory on January 1, 2024, under confidentiality in a designated room

According to official information, 86 underage girls had abortions in Georgia in 2018. Half of these were recorded in Tbilisi.

In 2019, 38 cases of abortions in girls under 18 years of age were registered in medical institutions of the country.

The most frequent cases of artificial termination of pregnancy were among women between 25 and 34 years old.

The highest number of abortions after Tbilisi was recorded in the south-west of the country, in Adjara.

Article 12 of the Constitution of Georgia: “Everyone has the right to free development of his/her personality”.

The first paragraph of Article 15 of the Constitution of Georgia: “Private and family life of a person is inviolable. Restriction of this right shall be permitted only in accordance with the law, for the purpose of ensuring necessary state or public security in a democratic society or for the protection of the rights of other persons”.