Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act

The 2018 Act permits (i) abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy by a medical practitioner who has a certified, reasonable good-faith opinion that the pregnancy has not exceeded 12 weeks (Section 12); (ii) where two medical practitioners have a good-faith opinion that that there is a risk to the life, or of serious harm to the health, of the pregnant woman, that the fetus has not yet reached viability, and that it is appropriate to carry out the termination of pregnancy to avert these risks (Section 9), or that there is a condition affecting the fetus that is likely to lead to the death of the fetus either before, or within 28 days of, birth (Section 11); or (iii) where a single medical practitioner has a good-faith opinion that there is an immediate risk to the life, or serious harm to the health, of the pregnant woman and that it is immediately necessary to terminate the pregnancy in order to avoid that risk (Section 10). The Act also makes certain services, like medical surgery and midwifery, available to women without charge for the purpose of terminating a pregnancy in accordance with Sections 9, 10, 11, or 12. Under the Act, it is an offense for anyone other than the pregnant woman herself to intentionally terminate a pregnancy, or supply the means for doing so, other than in accordance with the Act, or to aid or abet such an offense (Section 23(4)). Penalties for offenses include fines and imprisonment up to 14 years (Section 23); there are also provisions for offenses committed by a corporate body (Section 24). The 2018 Act also repeals the Regulation of Information (Services outside the State for Termination of Pregnancies) Act 1995 and the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013.