Abortion in Ethiopia

In 2005, the Ethiopian Parliament liberalised the abortion law to grant safe abortions to women in specific circumstances.

Currently, abortion is legal in Ethiopia in cases of rape, incest, or maternal problems relating to foetal impairment.

Since 2008, Ethiopia has witnessed a rapid increase in healthcare facilities which provide legal abortion services. Abortions services in Ethiopian facilities includes medical abortion (using misoprostol and Mifepristone), surgical abortion, manual vacuum aspiration and dilation and curettage.

In 2008, an estimated 382,500 induced abortions were performed in Ethiopia, for annual rate of 23 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44. This has been doubled the proportion in 2014, with rate of 53% (some 326,000) in all health facilities. Most abortions occur in non-governmental organization and private hospitals within Ethiopia.