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Fact Sheets

fact sheet: Facts & Figures

There's a lot of misinformation out there about abortion in New Zealand. Download a pdf that gives you the facts.

fact sheet: Q & A - Abortion to Save Lives

Is abortion ever necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman or girl? Yes! Download a pdf that explains why.

fact sheet: Q & A - Abortion as Birth Control

Do women use abortion as birth control? Not if they have information and access to reliable contraceptive methods. Click to download more information.

fact sheet: Q & A - Abortion and Emergency Contraception

If I use the emergency contraception pill ("morning after" pill) will it cause me to have an abortion? No! Download a pdf that explains why not.

fact sheet: Q & A - Abortion Risks Compared With Pregnancy

Is pregnancy safer than abortion? Download a pdf that explains the safety record of abortion, and why context is all important.

fact sheet: Early medication abortion (What to Expect)

Wondering exactly what happens during an early medication (medical) abortion? Download a pdf on what to expect.

fact sheet: Early medication abortion (What Is It?)

Wondering about some of the pros and cons of early medication abortion and just how it works? Download a pdf for more info.

fact sheet: Q & A - Abortion and Breast Cancer

If I have an abortion will it put me at risk of getting breast cancer? No. Download a pdf that explodes the anti-abortion myth.

fact sheet: Q & A - 'Post-Abortion Syndrome'

'Post-Abortion Syndrome' is not a legitimate medical diagnosis, but an anti-abortion propaganda tool. Download a pdf to find out more.

fact sheet: Q & A - Privacy for Pregnant Teenagers

Teenagers and girls need privacy in making decisions about pregnancy and abortion. Download a pdf that explains why New Zealand law protects that privacy.

fact sheet: Q & A: Reducing Abortion by Restricting Access

Restricting access does not reduce the rate of abortion. Download a pdf that explains why bans and restrictions are the wrong way to go.

fact sheet: The law

So you thought New Zealand women had the right to choose abortion? The law says otherwise. Download a pdf on New Zealand's abortion laws.

backgrounder: Why 24 Weeks?

There has been a lot of discussion about allowing abortion on request up to 24 weeks and making special conditions apply after that stage of pregnancy. Termination of pregnancy after 24 weeks Because in NZ less than one in a thousand exceptional cases are terminated after 24 weeks it could be argued that there is no need for special legislation to cover these. In 2009 there were 12 cases or 0.07% after 24 weeks. (Figures obtained from Abortion Supervisory Committee under Official Information Act.)
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Backgrounder: Medical Abortion

Throughout the centuries and in all cultures women have ingested substances believed to bring about an abortion. In the Western world some of the most popular have been concoctions made from the following plants: Pennyroyal, Savin-oil of Juniper, Black Cohosh, Blue Cohosh, Queen Anne’s Lace, Aloes, Tansy, Parsley (apiol) and in New Zealand: Supplejack root, Flax root, Toetoe leaves, Poroporo leaves, berries from Te Mahoe. [Reference: John M. Riddle Eve's Herbs: A history of contraception and abortion in the West USA & London: Harvard University Press; 1998.]
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backgrounder: Introducing Mifepristone into New Zealand

 By Dr Margaret Sparrow DCNZM MBE

Introducing this new anti-progesterone took much longer than expected, 15 years in fact. I first learned about RU486 (as it was then known) at the presentation by the French research team from Roussel-Uclaf at the Fertility & Sterility Conference in Singapore in October 1986. In July 1988 Professor John Hutton, Wellington, returned from the 1st European Congress on Prostaglandins keen to introduce RU486 followed by prostaglandin for early medical abortion.
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Backgrounder: Parental Notification

 Under 16s and Abortion

Care of Children Act 2004 (commenced 1 July 2005) 2: Guardianship and care of children, Sect 38 Consent to abortion

(1) If given by a female child (of whatever age), the following have the same effect as if she were of full age:
(a) a consent to the carrying out on her of any medical or surgical procedure for the purpose of terminating her pregnancy by a person professionally qualified to carry it out; and
(b) a refusal to consent to the carrying out on her of any procedure of that kind. In other words the decision whether or not to continue the pregnancy or have an abortion is made by the girl.
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