Abortion in Georgia is legal on request within the first 12 weeks of
pregnancy. Between 12 and 22 weeks,
abortions may be performed on medical grounds under conditions established by the
Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Affairs. After 22 weeks, abortions additionally require approval of a three-member medical committee. The law governing abortion was instituted in 2000.
The abortion rate in
Georgia dropped sharply during the 1990s, from 41.1 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 in 1992 to 21.9 in 1996
and 19.1 in 2005.
This decline has been attributed to increased use of modern
contraceptive
Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth contr ...
s.
, the abortion rate was 26.5 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44, among the highest rates in the world.
By an alternate measure, however, abortion fell between 2005 and 2010: a 2005 study found that women in Georgia had on average 3.1 abortions in their lifetimes, then the highest rate in the world; by 2010, that statistic had fallen to 1.6 abortions.
A majority of Georgians oppose legal abortion. The 2013 Caucasus Barometer poll found that 69% of Georgians believe that abortion can never be justified. Public opinion polling by the
Pew Research Center
The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan American think tank (referring to itself as a "fact tank") based in Washington, D.C.
It provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends shaping the United States and the w ...
, released in May 2017, found that only 10% supported legal abortion in most or all cases.
A study of 2005–2009 data found a
sex ratio at birth of 121 males for every 100 females, suggesting that
sex-selective abortion may be occurring.
See also
*
Healthcare in Georgia (country)
Healthcare in Georgia is provided by a universal health care system under which the state funds medical treatment in a mainly privatized system of medical facilities. In 2013, the enactment of a universal health care program triggered universal co ...
*
Secularism and irreligion in Georgia (country)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abortion In Georgia
Georgia
Georgia
Healthcare in Georgia (country)
Georgia
Women's rights in Georgia (country)