Abortion in Chile

Chile's abortion laws have undergone significant changes in recent years. Prior to 2017, Chile had one of the strictest abortion laws globally, prohibiting the practice altogether. However, since then, abortion has become legal in certain circumstances.

Currently, abortion is legal in three situations: when the life of the mother is at risk, when the fetus is not viable, and in cases of rape during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy (or 14 weeks if the woman is under 14 years old). Despite this, some doctors still refuse to perform abortions, particularly in cases of rape.

In 2006, activists successfully lobbied then-president Michelle Bachelet and the Coalition of Parties for Democracy to legalize emergency contraceptives in response to concerns about the rising number of teen pregnancies. In 2010, they successfully campaigned for free emergency contraceptives at public health centers for anyone over the age of 14 without requiring parental permission.

In August 2017, the National Congress approved a bill legalizing abortion, which went into effect a month later after surviving a constitutional challenge from conservative opponents. In January 2018, both public and private sector medical coverage for abortion became accessible.

In November 2021, the Chamber of Deputies of Chile voted down a bill that would have decriminalized abortion at 14 weeks. Additionally, in 2022, a proposed new constitution that contained provisions for reproductive rights and the legalization of abortion was put to a referendum in Chile. However, the proposed constitution was not approved by the majority of Chilean voters.