Abortion Laws in Denmark: Limits, Access, and Costs

Abortion laws in Denmark allow any pregnant woman to end a pregnancy on request through the 18th week, a limit that took effect on June 1, 2025, when Denmark expanded its previous 12-week threshold. The procedure is free for anyone with a Danish civil registration (CPR) number, and non-residents over 18 can also request it. After 18 weeks, a national abortion board must authorize the procedure based on specific grounds.¹

The 18-Week On-Request Window

During the first 18 weeks of pregnancy, no justification, committee review, or special approval is needed. The woman requests the procedure after receiving information from her doctor, and that is the whole legal test. Denmark had held the on-request limit at 12 weeks since 1973; the 2025 reform to the Health Act extended it to 18 and also replaced five regional abortion committees with a single national board.

After 18 Weeks: Applying to the National Abortion Board

Once a pregnancy passes 18 weeks, the decision is no longer the woman’s alone. She must apply to the national abortion board, which can authorize the procedure on grounds carried forward from the 1973 law:¹

Pregnancy, childbirth, or raising the child would seriously harm the woman’s physical or mental health.
The pregnancy resulted from rape or another sexual offense.
There is a significant risk the child would be born with a severe physical or mental disorder due to hereditary factors, injury, or illness during fetal development.
The woman cannot properly care for a child because of a physical or mental condition.
The woman is too young or immature to care for a child at this point.
Continuing the pregnancy would place a serious burden on the woman that cannot be resolved otherwise, taking into account her age, work demands, housing situation, income, and family health.

The board weighs these grounds against the higher medical risk of a later procedure, and authorizes only when the grounds are important enough to justify that risk.

Fetal viability sets a practical ceiling. Danish medical guidelines generally consider a fetus viable from around the 23rd week, and the board is unlikely to authorize an abortion once viability is reached unless the woman’s life is in serious danger.

Consent Rules for Minors

Since June 1, 2025, anyone aged 15 or older can consent to an abortion without parental involvement, matching Denmark’s general age of medical autonomy.² Before the reform, parental consent was required for anyone under 18.

For minors under 15, parental consent is generally still required. If a younger minor cannot or does not want to involve a parent, the national abortion board can review the situation and potentially authorize the procedure. Healthcare providers are bound by strict confidentiality regardless of the patient’s age.

How to Access an Abortion

The process starts with a visit to a general practitioner, either your own doctor or another one. Bring identification.³ The doctor provides information about the procedure, conducts an initial consultation, and has you sign a consent form. You are then usually referred to a gynecological outpatient clinic at a public hospital for a preliminary examination, typically within a couple of weeks.

The doctor recommends either a medical or surgical abortion based on how far along you are and your health situation. Procedures take place at public hospitals and authorized private clinics.

Medical Abortion

Medical abortion is standard for pregnancies under about nine weeks. It involves two medications taken on separate days. You take mifepristone (Mifegyne) at the clinic on the first day, and two days later self-administer four tablets of misoprostol (Cytotec) vaginally, either at home or at the hospital.⁴

If you choose a home abortion, you need adult supervision for the first 24 hours after placing the misoprostol tablets, and you should not drive during that period. About four weeks later, you take a home pregnancy test; a positive result at that stage means you need to contact the gynecological department for follow-up.

Surgical Abortion

For pregnancies beyond about nine weeks, or when medical abortion is not suitable, the procedure is surgical and performed under anesthesia at a hospital. The referring gynecologist explains the specifics during the preliminary examination.

Cost and Coverage

Abortion is free for anyone with a Danish CPR number and a referral from a doctor.³ The public health system covers the procedure, hospital stays, and follow-up care. There are no co-pays or deductibles.

If you do not have a CPR number or a yellow health insurance card, organizations such as the Red Cross and Reden International can help arrange access to free abortion services.

Non-Residents

Non-residents over 18 can request an abortion in Denmark and should bring a valid ID card or passport to the doctor’s visit.³ The medical process is the same: consultation with a general practitioner, consent form, and referral to a gynecological clinic.

For pregnancies beyond 18 weeks, non-residents face the same requirement as residents, with the national abortion board authorizing the procedure. The 1973 law originally limited board-authorized abortions to women domiciled in Denmark, but the 2025 amendments broadened access.¹ If you are traveling to Denmark specifically for abortion services, contact a Danish general practitioner in advance to understand timing and logistics.

1
Harvard Law School. Denmark Law No. 350 of 1973 – Interruption of Pregnancy
2
European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. Consenting to Medical Treatment Without Parental Consent
3
City of Copenhagen. Having an Abortion in Denmark
4
Aalborg University Hospital. Medical Abortion in English