# Abortion in Lithuania

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**Abortion in Lithuania** is legal and available on request until the ninth week of pregnancy using [special medication](/source/Medical_abortion), up to 12th week using surgery and up to 22 weeks for medical reasons using surgery.[1][2][3] While [Lithuania](/source/Lithuania) was a [Republic of the Soviet Union](/source/Republics_of_the_Soviet_Union) (as the [Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic](/source/Lithuanian_Soviet_Socialist_Republic)), abortions were regulated by the Government of the [Soviet Union](/source/Soviet_Union).[4]

## History

Percentage of conceptions aborted in Lithuania

After becoming the [Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic](/source/Lithuanian_Soviet_Socialist_Republic) on 21 July 1940, Lithuania followed the abortions laws of the Soviet Union. On 27 June 1936, the Soviet Union banned abortions unless there was a danger to the life of the mother or the child would inherit a serious disease from the parents. Under this law abortions were meant to be performed in maternity homes and hospitals, and physicians who disregarded this risked one to two years' imprisonment.[4]

On 23 November 1955, the Soviet Union issued a decree which allowed abortions to be available on request. Later that year abortion was restricted so that it could only be performed in the first three months of pregnancy unless the birth would endanger the mother. Physicians had to perform abortions in hospitals and, unless the mother was in danger, a fee was charged.[4] If the abortion was not performed in a hospital, the physician could be imprisoned for one year, while a person not in possession of a medical degree could be imprisoned for two years. The serious injury or death of a pregnant woman could result in the sentence being extended up to eight years.[4]

The Government of the Soviet Union was concerned about the rate of illegal abortions and attempted to decrease their occurrence. On 31 December 1987, the Soviet Union announced that it would allow many medical institutions to perform abortions until the twenty-eighth week of pregnancy.[4] In 1989, there were 50,100 abortions and 55,782 live births in Lithuania. By 2010, the number of abortions decreased to 6,989 abortions and 35,626 live births.[5] As of 2010[\[update\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Abortion_in_Lithuania&action=edit), the abortion rate was 9.8 abortions per 1000 women aged 15–44 years.[6]

From 1995 to 2000, the [total fertility rate](/source/Total_fertility_rate) in Lithuania was 1.4 children/per woman, which the government officially wants to increase.[4] Lithuania's low fertility rate, and its [Catholic traditions](/source/Catholic_Church_in_Lithuania) make abortion a controversial political issue, and regular attempts to restrict it occur.[7] There have been several attempts in recent years to adopt a more restrictive law on abortion, especially after 2005. Such attempts are particularly associated with the [Polish minority](/source/Poles_in_Lithuania).[8][9]

In May 2025, the a law passed Lithuanian parliament to enshrine abortion rights.[10]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Valstybinė_Ligoniu_Kasa_Prie_Sveikatos_Apsaugos_Ministerijos_1-0)** ["Women can choose a safer alternative to abortion"](https://ligoniukasa.lrv.lt/en/news/women-can-choose-a-safer-alternative-to-abortion). Valstybinė Ligoniu Kasa Prie Sveikatos Apsaugos Ministerijos. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20221128114323/https://ligoniukasa.lrv.lt/en/news/women-can-choose-a-safer-alternative-to-abortion) from the original on 28 November 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Klaipėdos_Rajono_Savivaldybės_Visuomenės_Sveikatos_Biuras_2-0)** ["Kas gali suteikti pagalbą moterims, susidūrusioms su kriziniu nėštumu?"](https://visuomenessveikata.lt/kas-gali-suteikti-pagalba-moterims-susidurusioms-su-kriziniu-nestumu). Klaipėdos Rajono Savivaldybės Visuomenės Sveikatos Biuras. 16 March 2021. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210417182722/https://visuomenessveikata.lt/kas-gali-suteikti-pagalba-moterims-susidurusioms-su-kriziniu-nestumu/) from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Worrell, Marc. ["Abortion law Lithuania"](http://www.womenonwaves.org/en/page/4795/abortion-law-lithuania). *Women on Waves*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190418024747/https://www.womenonwaves.org/en/page/4795/abortion-law-lithuania) from the original on 18 April 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2019.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-United_Nations_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-United_Nations_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-United_Nations_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-United_Nations_4-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-United_Nations_4-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-United_Nations_4-5) ["Abortion in Lithuania (Word Document)"](https://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/doc/lithuania.doc). United Nations. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160513221333/http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/doc/lithuania.doc) from the original on 13 May 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-stats_5-0)** ["Statistics of Abortions in Lithuania"](http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/ab-lithuania.html). Johnston`s Archive. 2011. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210425171759/http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/ab-lithuania.html) from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-un2013_6-0)** ["World Abortion Policies 2013"](https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/policy/world-abortion-policies-2013.shtml). United Nations. 2013. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210206225913/https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/policy/world-abortion-policies-2013.shtml) from the original on 6 February 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Vita elitera"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161005123333/http://www.vitaelitera.lt/ojs/index.php/akuserija-ir-ginekologija/article/download/154/153). Archived from [the original](http://www.vitaelitera.lt/ojs/index.php/akuserija-ir-ginekologija/article/download/154/153) on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Lithuanian Parliament to Debate Abortion Ban"](http://hrmi.lt/en/seimo-zmogaus-teisiu-komitete-kelia-skinasi-siulymas-drausti-abortus/). *Human Rights Monitoring Institute*. 26 March 2018. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180909223101/http://hrmi.lt/en/seimo-zmogaus-teisiu-komitete-kelia-skinasi-siulymas-drausti-abortus/) from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Polish Minority Party Wants to Ban Abortions in Lithuania"](https://www.liberties.eu/en/news/lithuania-abortion-ban-initiative/11508). European Liberties Platform. 28 February 2017. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20201112040715/https://www.liberties.eu/en/news/lithuania-abortion-ban-initiative/11508) from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Platūkytė, Domantė (13 May 2025). ["Lithuanian parliament debates free abortion bill"](https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2560816/lithuanian-parliament-debates-free-abortion-bill). *lrt.lt*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250514024529/https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2560816/lithuanian-parliament-debates-free-abortion-bill) from the original on 14 May 2025. Retrieved 15 May 2025.

[Portals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents/Portals):
- [Law](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Law)
- [Lithuania](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Lithuania)
- [Medicine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Medicine)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Abortion in Lithuania](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_Lithuania) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_Lithuania?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.