Abortion in Laos

Abortion in Laos was on the whole illegal before 2021, when the law was changed to allow the termination of pregnancy in certain circumstances.^[1]

Under the new legislation, abortion is permitted in the cases of:^[2]

The pregnant individual has significant health conditions including heart disease, blood diseases, mental health issues, cancer, kidney disease, among others named in the legislation.
The pregnant individual is a member of a low-income family, has more than four children already, or is below the age of majority.
The foetus has an intellectual disability, or has been exposed to poison or over 15 rads of radiation.
The foetus was otherwise lost.
The pregnancy was a result of rape or birth control failure.

^ Thanabouasy, Phayboune (21 July 2021). "Authorities Draft New Legislation on Surrogacy and Abortion in Laos". The Laotian Times. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
^ "ຂໍ້ຕົກລົງ ວ່າດ້ວຍ ການຄຸ້ມຄອງ ການໃຫ້ຖືພາແທນ ແລະ ການໃຫ້ຫຼຸລູກ" [Decision on the Management of Surrogacy and Abortion]. Decision No. 2077 of 8 July 2021 (in Lao). Ministry of Health of Laos. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2023.