The right of every woman to artificial termination of pregnancy (abortion) is recognized in the Republic of Armenia. Artificial termination of pregnancy (abortion) is a medical intervention performed by surgical or pharmaceutical methods for the purpose of terminating a pregnancy.
Up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, artificial termination of pregnancy (abortion) is carried out with the written consent of the woman.
From 12 to 22 weeks of pregnancy, abortion is allowed in exceptional cases, provided that there are medical or social indications as exhaustively defined by the legislation of the Republic of Armenia. In this case, the written consent of the woman is also required.
Below are the medical and social indications for artificial termination of pregnancy, the presence of which is a necessary condition for allowing artificial termination of pregnancy from 12 to 22 weeks:
The medical indications for artificial termination of pregnancy are:
1) a deceased fetus,
2) diagnosis of a life-incompatible developmental defect in the fetus,
3) repeated birth of a child with similar developmental defects,
4) birth of a child with hereditary diseases related to sex in the family,
5) congenital defects that lead to irreversible limitations of vital activity:
The social indications for artificial termination of pregnancy are:
1) the death of the husband during pregnancy.<
2) the woman or husband's serving a sentence in a correctional facility as prescribed by law.
3) divorce during pregnancy as prescribed by law.
4) pregnancy resulting from rape:
Artificial termination of pregnancy at the request of a minor (in cases where full legal capacity is not acquired by law) is carried out with the written consent of her legal representatives (parents), and in the case of impossibility, based on the decision of a permanent medical commission established by the head of the healthcare institution:
Immediately before performing the medical intervention, the doctor is obliged to provide the woman with free consultation regarding the possible negative consequences of the termination, which the doctor records in the medical documents of the woman who applied for termination, and which is confirmed by the woman's signature.
Before the artificial termination of pregnancy, the doctor of the healthcare institution is obliged to provide the pregnant woman who has applied to him with a period of three calendar days to make a final decision regarding the termination, which is calculated from the moment the woman first applies to the doctor for termination. If the third calendar day coincides with the day of the 12th week of pregnancy, then the period for making a final decision ends before the completion of the 12th week of pregnancy.
The duration of the woman's stay in the healthcare institution after the artificial termination of pregnancy is determined by the obstetrician-gynecologist who performed the artificial termination of pregnancy, based on the woman's health condition, but at least 4 hours under the condition of satisfactory condition in the healthcare institution:
Artificial termination of pregnancy can only be performed in hospital healthcare institutions that have a license for obstetric and gynecological medical assistance and services.
Failure to carry out the necessary measures prescribed by law before and after the artificial termination of pregnancy results in administrative liability, while performing an abortion by a person without the appropriate higher medical education in extrahospital conditions, as well as by a person with such education, is considered illegal and entails criminal liability for the person who performed such medical intervention.