Is abortion legal in Brazil?
A legal abortion in Brazil is only allowed in the following circumstances:
- In cases of rape and/or incest (sex with anyone under the age of 14 is automatically defined as rape)
- In order to save the woman’s life
- When the fetus suffers from a congenital brain disorder – anencephaly
Any women who procures an abortion for reasons not listed above can face up to three years in prison. In 2013, a new law was passed which no longer required women to prove they were raped in order to access legal abortion services. In addition, the law also covers marital rape, thus allowing wives who have been raped by their husbands to legally procure an abortion.