Unwanted pregnancy? What now?
Many people are unsure what to do in the event of an unwanted pregnancy. On this page, we explain the specific steps and conditions that must be met in order to legally have an abortion in Germany.
Methods of termination of pregnancy
A pregnancy can be terminated either medically or surgically. The methods and procedures are described in detail here.
Legal situation
Abortion is regulated in the German Criminal Code (§218, §219). Abortion is only exempt from punishment under very specific conditions: after counselling, after a criminological or medical indication.
In addition, the provisions of the Pregnancy Conflict Act enable healthcare professionals to refuse to perform an abortion.
Useful links
- Information on methods, procedure etc.
- Pro Familia
- Abortion Care FAQs: This webpage from the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists is written for patients in the United States but provides a good overview of what to expect before, during and after an abortion.
- Facts and myths around abortion
- Information on the legal aspects
- The legal situation in Germany (in German), Austria (in German) and Switzerland (in German, French and Italian)
- The legal situation across Europe:
- Europe’s Abortion Laws 2025 (Report by the Center for Reproductive Rights)
- When rights aren’t real for all: the struggle for abortion access in Europe (Report by Amnesty International, November 2025)
- Resources to help find certified counselling centres and/or clinics that provide abortion care (PLEASE NOTE: none of these lists are complete)
- Berlin (available in multiple languages)
- Hamburg (available in multiple languages)
- Nationwide list by the German Medical Association
- Further information for Switzerland (in German, French and Italian)
- Further information for Austria (in German)
- Netherlands
- Europe (available in multiple languages)