Abortion in the Netherlands

Abortion in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, abortions are performed upon request until 21 weeks and 6 days gestation (length of pregnancy). ‘Upon request’ means that your wish to have an abortion is enough reason to get the abortion. You do not need to show any evidence of fetal malformation if you are not over 22 weeks pregnant.

If you are more than 6 weeks and 2 days pregnant, you should first visit your general practitioner to get a referral. You can also have a first consultation at the abortion clinic. Then you can make an appointment on the 6th day after your visit to the general practitioner at a clinic, because Dutch law currently requires a mandatory 5-day waiting period.

Clinics
There are 12 abortion clinics in the Netherlands.
You can find a list of clinics by clicking this link.

There are, however, only two clinics that perform abortions until the 22nd week: Beahuis & Bloemenhove Kliniek in Heemstede and the Vrelinghuis in Utrecht.

You can call the abortion clinic and make an appointment in English. Some clinics also speak German and French. If you speak none of those languages , contact Abortion Without Borders / Kobiety W Sieci: + 48 22 29 22 597 / administracja@maszwybor.net

Medical abortion
For a medical abortion in The Netherlands, you can go to an abortion clinic. Different clinics have different gestational age limits for medical abortions. Usually, it is possible for up to 8 or 9 weeks.

For people that have no health insurance in the Netherlands, there is an abortion clinic in Amsterdam from Women on Waves that provides abortion pills for people up to the 9th week of pregnancy. Costs are donation-based.

• Appointments can be made here.
• You can also order pills through Women Help Women here.

  Surgical abortion
  The surgical abortion methods at the clinics are vacuum curettage or instrumental abortion. Depending on the length of pregnancy, you will get local injections, light sedation or general anesthetic. Depending on the procedure, the abortion will take from 5 to maximum 25 minutes, but you can be in the clinic in total from 5 to 10 hours.

Costs and health insurance
The clinics have different costs for abortions, but the approximate prices are:

• Medical abortion (up to 8 or 9 weeks): €450,-
• First trimester with anaesthesia: €700,-
• Second trimester (13-17 weeks): €850,-
• Second trimester (18-22 weeks): €1100,-

If you live in the Netherlands, and you have a BSN number and a valid health insurance, you can go to any abortion clinic in the Netherlands and the costs will be fully covered. If you live in the Netherlands but do not have health insurance, you will need to have a BSN number and bring proof that you live in the Netherlands (proof of registration in the municipality / recent payslip / official rental contract). Then the costs will also be covered.

If you do not have a BSN number, you will have to pay for the abortion yourself. If you will have an abortion in the Netherlands or plan to do so, and you are in financial need or you need support with arranging an appointment in case you do not speak English, German or French, you can contact Abortion Network Amsterdam (ANA) (anamsterdam@riseup.net). ANA is a small group of volunteers with limited funds, but we try to help everyone as best as we can.

Abortion past 22 weeks
In England, abortion can take place up to 23 weeks and 5 days. Appointments in the clinic can be difficult to get, so please act with urgency.

Clinics:

• British Pregnancy Advisory Service (bpas): +44 1789 416 569
• Marie Stopes International: +44 1454 457 542

  If you need financial help to cover the cost of the procedure or help with arranging transport, an interpreter, or accommodation, contact Abortion Support Network (info@asn.org.uk / www.asn.org.uk).