There is a proposal in Ukraine to ban abortions at any stage of pregnancy

A petition has been submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine proposing a ban on terminating a pregnancy solely at the woman’s request, regardless of the stage of pregnancy. At the same time, the authors of the initiative propose maintaining exceptions based on medical indications, as well as establishing specific conditions for women who have been victims of rape.

Current legislation allows for pregnancy termination at the woman’s request during the early stages of pregnancy. Prohibit pregnancy termination at the woman’s request at any stage of pregnancy, while retaining medical exceptions and special provisions for cases of rape—this is the legislative change being proposed for Ukraine. The author of the petition demands that the current rules be reviewed and a corresponding bill be drafted.

A request has been submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers demanding a ban on the voluntary termination of pregnancy solely at the woman’s request, regardless of the stage of pregnancy. The author of the petition asks the government to initiate the drafting of a corresponding bill and submit it to the Verkhovna Rada for consideration.

The petition notes that an initiative on this topic—No. 41/005895-24ep—has already been registered on the Cabinet of Ministers’ electronic petition website. At the same time, the author believes that it does not cover all the legal aspects of the issue.

He bases his position on the provisions of Articles 3 and 27 of the Constitution of Ukraine, which concern the recognition of life as the highest social value and the human right to life.

Why 12 weeks has become one of the main arguments

In the petition, the author questions the scientific and legal basis for the current time limit within which a pregnancy may be terminated at the woman’s request. He asserts that the 12-week limit originates from Soviet legislation of 1955 and is not established by the Constitution of Ukraine or the results of scientific research.

In his view, science studies the development of the organism, the formation of organs, the brain, and the nervous system, but does not determine a universal point at which human life acquires moral or legal value. The author believes that under such circumstances, the state must choose the principle of protecting life.

The appeal specifically cites Article 27 of the Constitution of Ukraine, according to which every person has an inalienable right to life, no one may be arbitrarily deprived of life, and it is the state’s duty to protect it.

The author also refers to Article 3 of the Constitution, which defines human life and health as the highest social value, and Article 25 of the Civil Code of Ukraine. The latter provides for the protection of the interests of a conceived but not yet born child in cases established by law.

In the opinion of the petition’s author, these provisions should serve as the basis for legislative regulation of the protection of life from the moment of conception. He also notes that the European Court of Human Rights has pointed out the lack of a European consensus regarding the moment when life begins; therefore, this issue can be determined at the national level.

Another argument in the petition concerns the balance between the right to life and a woman’s bodily autonomy. The author believes that a person’s right to make autonomous decisions regarding their own body should not justify the taking of another person’s life.

Petition No. 41/011247-26ep also cites religious arguments. In particular, the author refers to the Christian teaching that human life begins at conception and asserts that legislation must take into account the moral convictions of a significant portion of Ukrainian society.

Medical Indications and Rape: Which Types of Abortions Are Proposed to Be Allowed

The author of the petition does not demand that all grounds for terminating a pregnancy be abolished. He proposes retaining the option of abortion for medical reasons if there is a real threat to the woman’s life or health.

It is also proposed to retain the current grounds related to severe fetal abnormalities, but to further study this issue and, if necessary, tighten the criteria. The author seeks to prevent situations where developmental abnormalities that are not life-threatening could serve as grounds for terminating a pregnancy.

Separate amendments are proposed regarding pregnancies resulting from rape. In this case, the author requests:

• to preserve the option of terminating the pregnancy;
• to reduce the time limit from 22 to 12 weeks;
• introduce a mandatory 10-day reflection period following the woman’s request;
• to stipulate that the request must be submitted no later than the end of the 11th week of pregnancy, so that the procedure can be performed by the end of the 12th week following the reflection period.

Liability for Illegal Abortions and Assistance for Women: What Else Is Being Demanded

In addition to banning abortions at a woman’s request, the petition’s author proposes revising legislation regarding liability for performing illegal abortions, coercing a woman to terminate a pregnancy, and other unlawful acts.

At the same time, the petition emphasizes the need for state support for women who find themselves in difficult life circumstances. This includes financial, medical, psychological, and social assistance.

In conclusion, the author asks the Cabinet of Ministers to initiate the drafting of a bill that would ban pregnancy termination at a woman’s request, define exceptions, and increase penalties for illegal abortions.

This was reported with reference to a legal and judicial newspaper

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