Abortion in Sweden

{{Short description|none}}  {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Quote box |title = The Abortion Act (1974:595)<ref>"[http://www.sweden.gov.se/content/1/c6/06/28/70/4755c9dc.pdf The Abortion Act]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ([[Swedish Code of Statutes|SFS]] 1974:595)" Unofficial translation provided by the [[Ministry of Health and Social Affairs (Sweden)|Ministry of Health and Social Affairs]], Sweden. Promulgated 19 May 2005; with amendments up to and including [[Swedish Code of Statutes]] 2005:294; entered into force 1 July 2005; translated 1 February 2006.</ref> |quote = '''Section 1''' If a woman requests termination of her pregnancy, an abortion may be performed if the procedure is performed before the end of the eighteenth week of pregnancy and it may not be assumed that it will entail serious danger to the woman’s life or health on account of her having an illness. Act (1995:660).

'''Section 2''' If a woman has requested an abortion or if the question of termination of pregnancy has arisen under the provisions of Section 6, she must be offered counselling before the procedure is performed. Act (1995:660).

'''Section 3''' After the end of the eighteenth week of pregnancy an abortion may be performed only if the National Board of Health and Welfare has granted the woman permission for the procedure. Such permission may only be granted if exceptional grounds exist for the abortion.

Permission under the provisions of the first paragraph may not be granted if there is reason to assume that the foetus is viable.

'''Section 4''' If an abortion in a case referred to under Section 1 is refused, the matter shall be immediately referred to the National Board of Health and Welfare for review. Act (1995:660).

'''Section 5''' Only a person authorised to practise medicine may perform an abortion or terminate a pregnancy under the provisions of Section 6.

The procedure must be performed at a general hospital or other medical institution approved by the National Board of Health and Welfare. Act (2007:998).<ref name="ChangeLaw2007">[http://www.lagboken.se/files/SFS/2007/070998.PDF Law about changing the Abortion Act, ''Lag om ändring i abortlagen (1974:595)''(Swedish)] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728111715/http://www.lagboken.se/files/SFS/2007/070998.PDF |date=28 July 2011 }}</ref>

'''Section 6''' If it may be assumed that the pregnancy entails grave danger to the life or health of the woman, on account of her having an illness or bodily defect, the National Board of Health and Welfare may give permission to terminate the pregnancy after the end of the eighteenth week of pregnancy, regardless of how far the pregnancy has progressed.

If, due to illness or bodily defect of the woman, the termination of a pregnancy can not be postponed the procedure may be performed notwithstanding the provisions of the first paragraph and Section 5, second paragraph. Act (2007:998).<ref name="ChangeLaw2007"/>

'''Section 7''' The decisions of the National Board of Health and Welfare regarding permission for abortion or termination of pregnancy under the provisions of Section 6 may not be appealed. Act (1995:660).

'''Section 8''' After an abortion or termination of pregnancy under the provisions of Section 6 the woman must be offered counselling. The person in charge at the hospital or health care facility where the procedure has been performed must ensure that such an offer is made. Act (1995:660).

'''Section 9''' Any person who, without being authorised to practise medicine, intentionally performs an abortion on another person shall be fined or imprisoned for a maximum of one year for illegal abortion.

If an offence referred to in the first paragraph is gross, a prison sentence of a minimum of six months and a maximum of four years shall be imposed. When assessing whether the offence is gross special consideration shall be given to whether the act was habitual or for profit or involved particular danger to the woman’s life or health.

An attempt to bring about an illegal abortion is punishable under Chapter 23 of the Penal Code.

'''Section 10''' The intentional disregard by a medical practitioner of the provisions of Section 4 or, subject to Section 6, second paragraph, of Section 3 or Section 5, shall be punishable by a fine or imprisonment of a maximum of six months.

'''Section 11''' The proceeds of an offence under this Act shall be declared forfeited, unless this is manifestly unreasonable. Act (2005:294).

|align = right |width = 30% }} '''Abortion in Sweden''' was first legislated by the Abortion Act of 1938.<ref name="NB2009">''[http://www.socialstyrelsen.se/Lists/Artikelkatalog/Attachments/18031/2010-5-12.pdf Official Statistics of Sweden: Statistics – Health and Medical Care: Induced abortions 2009] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727140340/http://www.socialstyrelsen.se/Lists/Artikelkatalog/Attachments/18031/2010-5-12.pdf |date=27 July 2011 }}'' (2010) [[National Board of Health and Welfare (Sweden)|National Board of Health and Welfare]]. {{ISBN|978-91-86585-24-2}}.</ref> This stated that an [[abortion]] could be legally performed in [[Sweden]] upon [[medicine|medical]], [[Humanitarianism|humanitarian]], or [[eugenics|eugenical]] grounds. That is, if the [[pregnancy]] constituted a serious threat to the woman's life, if she had been impregnated by [[rape]], or if there was a considerable chance that any serious [[congenital disorder|condition]] might be inherited by her child, she could request an abortion. The law was later augmented in 1946 to include socio-medical grounds and again in 1963 to include the risk of serious fetal damage. A committee investigated whether these conditions were met in each individual case and, as a result of this prolonged process, abortion was often not granted until the middle of the second [[wiktionary:trimester|trimester]]. As such, a new law was created in 1974, stating that the choice of an abortion is entirely up to the woman until the end of the 18th week.<ref name="NB2009"/>

==Legislation== ===Current=== The current legislation is the Abortion Act of 1974 ([[Swedish Code of Statutes|SFS]] 1974:595). This states that up until the end of the eighteenth week of the pregnancy, the choice of an abortion is entirely up to the woman, for any reason whatsoever. After the 18th, a woman needs a permission from the [[National Board of Health and Welfare (Sweden)|National Board of Health and Welfare]] (''Socialstyrelsen'') to have an abortion. Permission for these late abortions is usually granted for cases in which the fetus or mother are unhealthy. Abortion is not allowed if the fetus is viable, which generally means that abortions after the [[Prenatal development|22nd week]] are not allowed. However, abortions after the 22nd week may be allowed in the rare cases where the fetus can not survive outside the womb even if it is carried to term.<ref name="NB2009"/><ref>[http://www.socialstyrelsen.se/Lists/Artikelkatalog/Attachments/9357/2006-1-3_200613.pdf Socialstyrelsens meddelandeblad: ''Rättsliga rådets behandling av abortärenden m.m.'']{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The issue is largely settled in Sweden, and the question of the legality of abortion is not a highly controversial political issue.<ref name="Pew">{{Cite web |url=http://www.pewforum.org/Abortion/Abortion-Laws-Around-the-World.aspx |title=Pew Forum: Abortion Laws Around the World |access-date=21 October 2012 |archive-date=5 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705095124/http://www.pewforum.org/Abortion/Abortion-Laws-Around-the-World.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Consensus in Sweden is in favour of preventing unwanted pregnancies by the use of [[birth control]] and the primary goal is not to lower the number of abortions, but rather the goal is that all children that are born should be wanted. The number of abortions statistically follows the number of pregnancies. In comparison with the other [[nordic countries]], Sweden ranks high in number of abortions, and low in number of [[Teenage pregnancy|young parents]], while the number of pregnancies in relation to total population is largely the same in all Nordic countries.<ref name="NE">{{cite encyclopedia |last=Lindahl |first=Katarina |encyclopedia=[[Nationalencyklopedin]] |title=Aborter i Sverige [Abortion in Sweden] |language=sv |publisher=Bra Böcker }}</ref>

===History===

The [[Civil Code of 1734]] formally introduced the death penalty for abortion, but there is no confirmed case in which this sentence was actually carried out: the attention was focused on [[infanticide]] rather than abortion, and the court cases were few.<ref name="regeringen.se">Sverige. Utredningen om utländska aborter, Abort i Sverige: betänkande, Fritze, Stockholm, 2005 http://www.regeringen.se/rattsdokument/statens-offentliga-utredningar/2005/11/sou-200590/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207192224/http://www.regeringen.se/rattsdokument/statens-offentliga-utredningar/2005/11/sou-200590 |date=7 February 2018 }}</ref> The reformed law of 1864 abolished the death penalty for abortion and replaced it with between two and six years of [[penal labour]] for both the patient who received the abortion, as well as for the abortion provider.<ref name="regeringen.se"/><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2018-01-28 |title=1930-talet: Fertilitetskris och abortförbud |url=https://www.rfsu.se/vad-vi-gor/i-sverige/fragor-vi-jobbar-med/ratten-till-abort/abortrattens-historia/1930-taletfertilitetskris-och-abortforbud/ |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=Riksförbundet för sexuell upplysning |language=sv |archive-date=12 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112131433/https://www.rfsu.se/vad-vi-gor/i-sverige/fragor-vi-jobbar-med/ratten-till-abort/abortrattens-historia/1930-taletfertilitetskris-och-abortforbud/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

During the second half of the 19th century, abortion court cases became more common and the issue became a part of public debate.<ref name="regeringen.se"/> A reform in 1921 replaced the penal labour with fines or a shorter prison term without penal labour for the patient,<ref name=":1" /> but kept the original penalty for the abortion service provider.<ref name="regeringen.se"/> Between 1929 and 1933, around 21 patients annually were sentenced for abortion, and the vast majority was given suspended sentences.<ref name="regeringen.se"/>

The first law on legal abortions was passed in Sweden in 1938 when the law legalized abortion on a very limited scale, and only on serious medical consideration, [[eugenics|eugenical]] grounds or rape, after evaluation by the Royal Board of Health.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-01-28 |title=1938: Den första abortlagen |url=https://www.rfsu.se/vad-vi-gor/i-sverige/fragor-vi-jobbar-med/ratten-till-abort/abortrattens-historia/1938-den-forsta-abortlagen/ |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=Riksförbundet för sexuell upplysning |language=sv}}</ref> From 1946 abortions could also be permitted on [[Social medicine|social medicinal]] grounds.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-01-28 |title=1946: Abortlagen blir bättre |url=https://www.rfsu.se/vad-vi-gor/i-sverige/fragor-vi-jobbar-med/ratten-till-abort/abortrattens-historia/1946-abortlagen-blir-battre/ |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=Riksförbundet för sexuell upplysning |language=sv |archive-date=12 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112131118/https://www.rfsu.se/vad-vi-gor/i-sverige/fragor-vi-jobbar-med/ratten-till-abort/abortrattens-historia/1946-abortlagen-blir-battre/ |url-status=live }}</ref> During the 1960s, a successive change in Swedish society took place, and the general attitude towards [[human sexuality|sexuality]], as well as abortion, became more liberal. This, among other things, led to an increase in the number of permitted abortions.<ref name="NB2009"/>

The current Abortion Act (SFS 1974:595 with later amendments in 1995 and 2007) entered into force on 1 January 1975. It permits abortion on the request of the pregnant woman until the 18th week, and thereafter only in cases of severe indications of medical risk. After the 18th week, abortions can only be performed after an evaluation by the National Board of Health and Welfare.<ref name="NB2009"/>

In 1989, the Board issued general advice on implementation of the law (SOSFS 1989:6). From 1 September 2004, these were superseded by new advice and policy (SOSFS 2004:4).<ref name="NB2009"/>

Since 1 January 2008, foreign patients – including [[right of asylum|asylum]] applicants, non-permanent residents, and those not [[Population registration in Sweden|registered]] in Sweden – are allowed to get an abortion in the country. During 2009, 132 such abortions were performed in Sweden. The National Board of Health and Welfare called this a comparably small figure, in relation to the total number of abortions.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.socialstyrelsen.se/pressrum/nyhetsarkiv/abortrapport |title=Rapport om utländska kvinnors aborter i Sverige 2009 |date=23 February 2010 |publisher=National Board of Health and Welfare |access-date=5 May 2011 |archive-date=20 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020162847/http://www.socialstyrelsen.se/pressrum/nyhetsarkiv/abortrapport |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Statistics== The [[National Board of Health and Welfare (Sweden)|National Board of Health and Welfare]] is the central national authority for social services, public health, and the health services in Sweden. Among the board's responsibilities are evaluation and monitoring of abortions performed in Sweden, as well as establishing norms by issuing provisions and general advice. The board is also responsible for the collection and publishing of official national statistics on abortions. Until 1995 reports were instead published by [[Statistics Sweden]].<ref name="NB2009"/>

Statistical reports are published yearly and are based on data from all clinics and hospitals where abortions are performed. Data is collected on the age of the women, earlier pregnancies and abortions, the length of the pregnancy at the time of abortion, method of abortion, and where the abortion was performed.

One of the National Health Board's main purposes with these reports is to measure changes and trends over time. The statistics on legal abortions stretches back to 1955 and, starting from 1975, data on frequencies for different age groups are available. From 1985 the women's home [[Municipalities of Sweden|municipality]] was also recorded.

===Trends=== [[File:Percentage of conceptions aborted in Sweden.svg|thumb|Percentage of conceptions aborted in Sweden]] The number of induced abortions performed in Sweden rose markedly on a yearly basis from the early 1960s, but soon leveled off following the liberalization of the abortion law in 1975. It is not possible to tell whether the increase in the statistics after the Abortion Act of 1974 reflects actual circumstances, or just [[Bias (statistics)|bias]] resulting from an increased will to report abortions after legalization. Since 1975, the total yearly number of cases has averaged between 30,000 and 38,000 abortions.<ref name="NB2009"/> The number of abortions by age group were as follows: those performed on teenagers in 1975 were 30 in every 1,000, while those performed on women aged 20 to 24 years old was 27 in every 1,000. However, since 1977, the opposite has held true, with fewer abortions being performed on teenagers than women aged 20 to 24. The number of abortions among teenagers was around 11 per 1,000 women in 2018, a halving since 2009.<ref name=":0" />

Most abortions in Sweden are performed on women aged 25–29 years old, followed in order by the age groups 20–24 years old, 30–34 years old, 35–39 years old, 15–19 years old (teenage abortions), and 40–44 years old.<ref name=":0" /> Before the age of thirty most women have not established a family life and abortion is more common amongst this age group, with [[multiple sex partners]] in the younger age groups parenthood is less desired and abortion more likely.<ref name="NE" /> The fact that most women in the younger age groups are still studying, combined with them being new on the labour market, influences the choice to perform abortion.<ref name="NE" />

Although abortion rates vary widely in Sweden, according to geographical region, the highest rate of teenage abortions is registered in [[Gotland]] and in the metropolitan areas of [[Stockholm]] and [[Gothenburg]]. The lowest incidences are in the [[Counties of Sweden|counties]] of [[Blekinge]], [[Kronoberg]], and [[Jönköping]].<ref name="NB2009"/>

In 2018, 84 percent of the induced abortions were performed before the end of the 9th week of pregnancy and 57 percent before the end of the 7th week, compared to 55 and 10 percent respectively in 1994. The proportion of medical abortions constituted 93 percent of all abortions.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.socialstyrelsen.se/Lists/Artikelkatalog/Attachments/21322/2019-5-18.pdf|title=Statistik om aborter 2018|date=2019-05-22|publisher=[[National Board of Health and Welfare (Sweden)|National Board of Health and Welfare]]|language=sv|access-date=2019-05-23|archive-date=23 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523165959/https://www.socialstyrelsen.se/Lists/Artikelkatalog/Attachments/21322/2019-5-18.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable sortable" |+Statistics<ref name="NB2009"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.socialstyrelsen.se/publikationer2019/2019-5-18/|title=Statistik om aborter 2018|date=2019-05-22|website=socialstyrelsen.se|language=sv|access-date=2019-05-23}}{{Dead link|date=April 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> !Abortions!!Abortions per 1000 women (aged 15–44) !Total [[Live birth (human)|live births]]!!Live births per 1000 women (aged 15–44)!!Abortions per 100 known pregnancies!!Year |- |4 562||3.1 |107 305||72.8||4.0||1955 |- |2 792||1.9 |102 219||68.4||2.6||1960 |- |6 209||4.0 |122 806||79.2||4.8||1965 |- |16 100||10.2 |110 150||69.8||12.7||1970 |- | 19 250||12.1 |114 484||72.1||14.3|| 1971 |- | 24 170||15.2 |112 273||70.6||17.6|| 1972 |- | 25 990||16.3 |109 663||68.9||19.0|| 1973 |- | 30 636||19.2 |109 864||68.8||21.7|| 1974 |- | 32 526||20.3 |103 632||64.6||23.8|| 1975 |- | 32 351|| 20.0 |98 345 | 60.9|| 24.7|| 1976 |- | 31 462|| 19.3 | 96 057|| 59.0|| 24.6|| 1977 |- | 31 918|| 19.4 | 93 248|| 56.7|| 25.4|| 1978 |- | 34 709|| 20.9 | 96 175|| 57.8|| 26.4|| 1979 |- | 34 887|| 20.7 | 97 064|| 57.6|| 26.4|| 1980 |- |33 294 |19.6 |94 065 |55.2 |26.1 |1981 |- |32 602 |19.0 |92 706 |54.0 |25.9 |1982 |- |31 014 |17.9 |91 686 |53.0 |25.2 |1983 |- |30 755 |17.7 |93 508 |53.9 |24.7 |1984 |- | 30 838|| 17.7 |98 463 | 56.5 || 23.8 || 1985 |- | 33 124|| 18.9 |101 740 | 58.1 || 24.5 || 1986 |- | 34 486|| 19.8 |104 699 | 59.6 || 24.8 || 1987 |- | 37 585|| 21.4 |112 080 | 63.7 || 25.0 || 1988 |- | 37 920|| 21.5 |116 023 | 65.9 || 24.6 || 1989 |- | 37 489|| 21.3 |123 938 | 70.5 || 23.2 || 1990 |- | 35 788|| 20.4 |123 737 | 70.7 || 22.4 || 1991 |- | 37 849|| 20.0 |122 848 | 70.6 || 22.0 || 1992 |- | 34 170|| 19.8 |117 998 | 68.2 || 22.4 || 1993 |- | 32 293|| 18.7 |112 257 | 65.1 || 22.3 || 1994 |- | 31 441|| 18.3 |103 422 | 60.1 || 23.3 || 1995 |- | 32 117|| 18.7 |95 297 | 55.6 || 25.1 || 1996 |- | 31 433|| 18.4 |90 502 | 53.0 || 25.7 || 1997 |- | 31 008|| 18.3 |89 028 | 52.4 || 25.8 || 1998 |- | 30 712|| 18.1 |88 173 | 52.0 || 25.8 || 1999 |- | 30 980|| 18.3 |90 698 | 53.6 || 25.4 || 2000 |- | 31 772|| 18.7 |91 466 | 53.9 || 25.7 || 2001 |- | 33 365|| 19.6 |95 953 | 56.4 || 25.7 || 2002 |- | 34 473|| 20.2 |99 260 | 58.1 || 25.7 || 2003 |- | 34 454|| 20.0 |101 018 | 58.8 || 25.4 || 2004 |- | 34 978|| 20.2 |101 496 | 58.6 || 25.6 || 2005 |- | 36 045|| 20.6 | 106 013 || 60.6 || 25.3 || 2006 |- | 37 205|| 21.0 | 107 491 || 60.7 || 25.7 || 2007 |- | 38 053|| 21.3 | 109 373 || 61.2 || 25.7 || 2008 |- | 37 524|| 20.8 | 111 935 || 62.2 || 25.0 || 2009 |- |37 693 |20.9 | | | |2010 |- |37 750 |20.9 | | | |2011 |- |37 366 |20.7 | | | |2012 |- |{{Data missing|date=February 2020}} |{{Data missing|date=February 2020}} |{{Data missing|date=February 2020}} |{{Data missing|date=February 2020}} |{{Data missing|date=February 2020}} |2013{{Efn|Due to a pause in data collection, figures for 2013 are unavailable.}} |- |36 629 |20.2 | | | |2014 |- |38 071 |20.9 | | | |2015 |- |38 177 |20.8 | | | |2016 |- |36 616 |19.8 | | | |2017 |- |35 782 |19.2 | | | |2018 |- |}

== Debate == Sweden has one of the most liberal abortion laws in the world. The topic itself does not have much controversy among the society and majority of Swedish population supports the law and policies around it.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=6194473|title=Sweden's road to abortion on demand - Radio Sweden|last=Radio|first=Sveriges|newspaper=Sveriges Radio|date=July 2015|language=en|access-date=2019-04-17|archive-date=17 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417133704/https://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=6194473|url-status=live}}</ref>

A 2024 report by [[Pew Research Center]] revealed that 95% of Swedish adults believed that abortion should be legal in all or most cases.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Fetterolf|first1=Janell|last2=Clancy|first2=Laura|title=Support for legal abortion is widespread in many places, especially in Europe|journal=[[Pew Research Center]]|url=https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/05/15/support-for-legal-abortion-is-widespread-in-many-countries-especially-in-europe/|date=15 May 2024|access-date=9 August 2024}}</ref>

However, there are political debates surrounding the cut-off period for abortion as well as other abortion rights. Right-wing conservative parties like the [[Christian Democrats (Sweden)|Christian Democrats]] and [[Sweden Democrats|Swedish Democrats]] have earlier promoted a stricter ban on late abortions, but no longer do so. The [[Swedish Association for Sexuality Education]] has responded by stating that a lot of political arguments stem from misinformation and lack of knowledge.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/a/Gv15x|title=DEBATT: KD – ni sprider myter om de sena aborterna|website=Aftonbladet|date=20 October 2017|language=sv|access-date=2019-04-17|archive-date=17 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417133654/https://www.aftonbladet.se/a/Gv15x|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Abortion rights ===

==== Organizations ==== [[Swedish Association for Sexuality Education|RFSU]] stands for abortion rights to all women, it is one of their main worldwide priority areas. They believe that in an equal and sustainable society individuals have a right over their own body, sexuality and reproduction.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rfsu.se/om-rfsu/om-oss/in-english/international-work2/our-priorities/the-right-to-safe-and-legal-abortion/|title=RFSU|website=rfsu.se|language=sv|access-date=2019-04-17|archive-date=17 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417133652/https://www.rfsu.se/om-rfsu/om-oss/in-english/international-work2/our-priorities/the-right-to-safe-and-legal-abortion/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Anti-abortion ===

==== Organizations ==== {{ill|Människorätt för ofödda|sv}} (MRO, Human rights for the unborn) is a politically and religiously independent organization. They aim to promote right to life for those unborn by non-violent protests, showing pictures of fetuses, and supporting pregnant women.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.abortnej.se/mro/om-mro/|title=Om MRO {{!}} Människorätt för ofödda|language=sv-SE|access-date=2019-04-17|archive-date=6 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406052138/http://www.abortnej.se/mro/om-mro/|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{ill|Ja till livet|sv}} (Yes to life) is a non-profit organization which aims to influence the debate on human dignity within abortion, fetal diagnoses and elderly care.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jatilllivet.se/viewNavMenu.do?menuID=145|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110109083210/http://www.jatilllivet.se/viewNavMenu.do?menuID=145|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-01-09|title=Ja till Livet-Om Ja till Livet|date=2011-01-09|access-date=2019-04-17}}</ref> Their goal is to limit the abortions by showing that fetuses have a human value.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jatilllivet.se/viewNavMenu.do?menuID=2|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120525095618/http://www.jatilllivet.se/viewNavMenu.do?menuID=2|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-05-25|title=Ja till Livet-Om Ja till Livet-Om föreningen|date=2012-05-25|website=archive.is|access-date=2019-04-17}}</ref>

Some religious organizations have anti-abortion stand too. The Catholic Church believes that human life is created at the point of conception, thus abortion should not be permitted unless both mother and the child are in danger.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.katolskakyrkan.se/katolska-kyrkan-i-sverige/fragor-och-svar-om-katolsk-tro/varfor-ar-katoliker-mot-abort|title=Varför är katoliker mot abort? {{!}} Katolska kyrkan|website=katolskakyrkan.se|access-date=2019-04-17|archive-date=17 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417133656/https://www.katolskakyrkan.se/katolska-kyrkan-i-sverige/fragor-och-svar-om-katolsk-tro/varfor-ar-katoliker-mot-abort|url-status=live}}</ref> A Catholic movement, {{lang|sv|Respekt}} (Respect), aims to promote human life from conception to death, meaning that, among other positions, they stand against abortions and euthanasia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://respektlivet.nu/en/about-us|title=About us|website=respektlivet.nu/en|language=en|access-date=2019-04-17}}</ref>

==== Ellinor Grimmark ==== In 2014, a controversial lawsuit was launched by midwife [[:sv:Ellinor Grimmark|Ellinor Grimmark]] against the health authorities in Jönköping region because they refused to provide her with a job as she would not carry out abortions or prescribe contraceptives due to her religious beliefs. The case had financial support from a well-known Christian anti-abortion organisation in the US, [[Alliance Defending Freedom]], which has interests in limiting abortion access in Europe. Grimmark's case was tried by the discrimination ombudsman as well as a district court in Sweden, both of which ruled against her.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=6614810|title=Support from US for Swedish anti-abortion midwife - Radio Sweden|last=Radio|first=Sveriges|newspaper=Sveriges Radio|date=24 January 2017|language=en|access-date=2019-04-17|archive-date=17 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417133708/https://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=6614810|url-status=live}}</ref> The same decision was reached in the Swedish Labor court<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=6672847|title=Swedish labour court rules against anti-abortion midwife - Radio Sweden|last=Radio|first=Sveriges|newspaper=Sveriges Radio|date=12 April 2017|language=en|access-date=2019-04-17|archive-date=17 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417133655/https://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=6672847|url-status=live}}</ref> after which Grimmark decided to proceed to the [[European Court of Human Rights]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/health-consumers/news/swedish-midwife-to-eu-court-over-anti-abortion-discrimination/|title=Swedish midwife takes case to ECHR over anti-abortion discrimination|last=says|first=Janja H.|date=2017-04-14|website=euractiv.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-04-17|archive-date=17 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417133649/https://www.euractiv.com/section/health-consumers/news/swedish-midwife-to-eu-court-over-anti-abortion-discrimination/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, she lost her case against Swedish state, and in October 2021, the case was permanently closed when her motion for appeal was denied.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/jonkoping/europadomstolen-nobbar-barnmorskan-grimmark-igen | title=Europadomstolen nekar barnmorskan Grimmark resning {{!}} SVT Nyheter | newspaper=SVT Nyheter | date=28 October 2021 | last1=Hedén | first1=Anna-Karin | access-date=3 December 2021 | archive-date=3 December 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211203132701/https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/jonkoping/europadomstolen-nobbar-barnmorskan-grimmark-igen | url-status=live }}</ref>

== See also == *[[Swedish Association for Sexuality Education]]

== Notes == {{Notelist}}

== References == {{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

== External links == * [https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/abortlag-1974595_sfs-1974-595 Swedish Parliament – Abortion act] {{in lang|sv}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abortion In Sweden}} [[Category:Abortion in Sweden]] [[Category:1938 establishments in Sweden]] [[Category:Abortion in Europe|Sweden]] [[Category:Health law in Sweden]] [[Category:Society of Sweden]] [[Category:Abortion by country|Sweden]] [[Category:Women's rights in Sweden]]