| Country | On request |
Economic or social reasons |
Foetal impairment |
Rape |
Incest |
Intellectual or cognitive disability of the woman |
Mental health |
Physical health |
Health |
Life |
Other (where provided) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Costa Rica |
WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. This legal ground recognizes a woman’s free choice. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.1.6.
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WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. WHO defines health for member states as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.1.5.
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WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. A woman is entitled to know the status of her pregnancy and to act on this information; health protection or social reasons can be interpreted to include distress of the pregnant woman caused by the diagnosis of fetal impairment. Prenatal tests and other medical diagnostic services cannot legally be refused because the woman may decide to terminate her pregnancy. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.1.4.
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WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. The protection of women from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment requires that those who have become pregnant as the result of coerced or forced sexual acts can lawfully access safe abortion services. Prompt, safe abortion services should be provided on the basis of a woman’s complaint rather than requiring forensic evidence or police examination. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.1.3.
Additional notesWomen who have who caused their own abortion may be granted a judicial pardon if the pregnancy was the result of rape. |
WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. The protection of women from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment requires that those who have become pregnant as the result of coerced or forced sexual acts can lawfully access safe abortion services. Prompt, safe abortion services should be provided on the basis of a woman’s complaint rather than requiring forensic evidence or police examination. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.1.3.
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WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. The scope of mental health includes psychological distress or mental suffering caused by, for example, coerced or forced sexual acts and diagnosis of severe fetal impairment. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.1.2.
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WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. Physical health is widely understood to include conditions that aggravate pregnancy and those aggravated by pregnancy. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.1.2.
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Gestational limit appliesNot specifiedWhen there is no explicit reference to an issue covered in the questionnaire in the relevant document(s), this is noted and no interpretation was made. Related documents:WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. The fulfillment of human rights requires that women can access safe abortion when it is indicated to protect their health. WHO defines health for member states as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.1.2.
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Gestational limit appliesNot specifiedWhen there is no explicit reference to an issue covered in the questionnaire in the relevant document(s), this is noted and no interpretation was made. Related documents:WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. The human right to life requires protection by law, including when pregnancy is life-threatening or a pregnant woman’s life is otherwise endangered. Both medical and social conditions can constitute life-threatening conditions. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.1.1.
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| Country | Authorization of health professional(s) |
Authorization in specially licensed facilities only |
Judicial authorization for minors |
Judicial authorization in cases of rape |
Police report required in case of rape |
Parental consent required for minors |
Spousal consent |
Ultrasound images or listen to foetal heartbeat required |
Compulsory counselling |
Compulsory waiting period |
Mandatory HIV screening test |
Other mandatory STI screening tests |
Prohibition of sex-selective abortion |
Restrictions on information provided to the public |
Restrictions on methods to detect sex of the foetus |
Other (where provided) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Costa Rica |
Authorization of health professional(s)Not specifiedWhen there is no explicit reference to an issue covered in the questionnaire in the relevant document(s), this is noted and no interpretation was made. Related documents:WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. Third-party authorization should not be required for women to obtain abortion services. The requirement for authorization by hospital authorities may violate the right to privacy and women’s access to health care on the basis of equality of men and women. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.2.2.
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Authorization in specially licensed facilities onlyNot specifiedWhen there is no explicit reference to an issue covered in the questionnaire in the relevant document(s), this is noted and no interpretation was made. Related documents:WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. Restrictions on the range of providers or facilities that are authorized to provide abortion reduce the availability of services and their equitable geographic distribution. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.2.4.
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Judicial authorization for minorsNot specifiedWhen there is no explicit reference to an issue covered in the questionnaire in the relevant document(s), this is noted and no interpretation was made. Related documents:WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. Third-party authorization should not be required for women to obtain abortion services. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.2.
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Judicial authorization in cases of rapeNot applicable WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. Laws, policies and practices that restrict access to abortion information and services can deter women from care seeking and create a “chilling effect” (suppression of actions because of fear of reprisals or penalties) for the provision of safe, legal services. Examples of barriers include: requiring third-party authorization from one or more medical professionals or a hospital committee, court or police, parent or guardian or a woman’s partner or spouse. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.2
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Police report required in case of rapeNot applicable WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. Laws, policies and practices that restrict access to abortion information and services can deter women from care seeking and create a “chilling effect” (suppression of actions because of fear of reprisals or penalties) for the provision of safe, legal services. Examples of barriers include: requiring third-party authorization from one or more medical professionals or a hospital committee, court or police, parent or guardian or a woman’s partner or spouse. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.2
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Parental consent required for minorsNot specifiedWhen there is no explicit reference to an issue covered in the questionnaire in the relevant document(s), this is noted and no interpretation was made. Related documents:WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. Third-party authorization should not be required for women to obtain abortion services. The requirement for authorization by parents may violate the right to privacy and women’s access to health care on the basis of equality of men and women. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.2.2.
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Spousal consentNot specifiedWhen there is no explicit reference to an issue covered in the questionnaire in the relevant document(s), this is noted and no interpretation was made. Related documents:WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. Third-party authorization should not be required for women to obtain abortion services. The requirement for authorization by a spouse may violate the right to privacy and women’s access to health care on the basis of equality of men and women. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.2.2.
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Ultrasound images or listen to foetal heartbeat requiredNot specifiedWhen there is no explicit reference to an issue covered in the questionnaire in the relevant document(s), this is noted and no interpretation was made. Related documents:WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. Regulatory, policy and programmatic barriers, one example of which is the requirement for mandatory ultrasound prior to abortion, that hinder access to and timely provision of safe abortion care should be removed. Safe Abortion Guidelines, Executive Summary, Box 7 - Recommendation.
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Compulsory counsellingNot specifiedWhen there is no explicit reference to an issue covered in the questionnaire in the relevant document(s), this is noted and no interpretation was made. Related documents:WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. Many women have made a decision to have an abortion before seeking care, and this decision should be respected without subjecting a woman to mandatory counselling. Provision of counselling to women who desire it should be voluntary, confidential, non-directive and by a trained person. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 2.1.8.1.
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Compulsory waiting periodNot specifiedWhen there is no explicit reference to an issue covered in the questionnaire in the relevant document(s), this is noted and no interpretation was made. Related documents:WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. States should consider eliminating waiting periods that are not medically required, and expanding services to serve all eligible women promptly. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.2.6.
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Mandatory HIV screening testNot specifiedWhen there is no explicit reference to an issue covered in the questionnaire in the relevant document(s), this is noted and no interpretation was made. Related documents:WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. Requirements for HIV and other tests that are not clinically indicated are potential service-delivery barriers. Safe Abortion Guidelines, p 88.
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Other mandatory STI screening testsNot specifiedWhen there is no explicit reference to an issue covered in the questionnaire in the relevant document(s), this is noted and no interpretation was made. Related documents:WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. Requirements for HIV and other tests that are not clinically indicated are potential service-delivery barriers. Safe Abortion Guidelines, p 88.
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Prohibition of sex-selective abortionNot specifiedWhen there is no explicit reference to an issue covered in the questionnaire in the relevant document(s), this is noted and no interpretation was made. Related documents:WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. In situations where abortion is restricted for sex selection purposes, terminating a pregnancy for this reason is likely to involve an unsafe procedure carrying high risks. Any policies or guidelines on the use of technology in obstetric and fetal medicine should take into account the need to ensure women’s access to safe abortion and other services - efforts to manage or limit sex selection should also not hamper or limit access to safe abortion services. Preventing gender-biased sex selection: an interagency statement, p 10 - Recommendation.
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List of restrictionsTrade in or advertisement of procedures, instruments, medications or substances intended to induce abortion is prohibited. WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. States should refrain from limiting access to means of maintaining sexual and reproductive health, including censoring, withholding or intentionally misrepresenting health-related information. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.2.7.
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Restrictions on methods to detect sex of the foetusNo data found. WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. A woman is entitled to know the status of her pregnancy and to act on this information. Prenatal tests and other medical diagnostic services cannot legally be refused because the woman may decide to terminate her pregnancy. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 4.2.1.4.
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| Country | National guidelines for induced abortion |
Methods allowed |
Country recognized approval (mifepristone / mife-misoprostol) |
Country recognized approval (misoprostol) |
Where can abortion services be provided |
National guidelines for post-abortion care |
Where can post abortion care services be provided |
Contraception included in post-abortion care |
Insurance to offset end user costs |
Who can provide abortion services |
Extra facility/provider requirements for delivery of abortion services |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Costa Rica |
No data |
Methods allowedVacuum aspirationNo data found Dilatation and evacuationNo data found Combination mifepristone-misoprostolNo data found Misoprostol onlyNo data found Other (where provided)
WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. Vacuum aspiration is the recommended technique of surgical abortion for pregnancies of up to 12 to 14 weeks of gestation. The procedure should not be routinely completed by dilatation and sharp curettage (D&C). Safe Abortion Guidelines, Executive Summary, Box 1- Recommendation.
Dilatation and evacuation (D&E) and medical methods (mifepristone and misoprostol; misoprostol alone) are both recommended methods for abortion for gestations over 12 to 14 weeks. Safe Abortion Guidelines, Executive Summary, Box 3- Recommendation.
The recommended method for medical abortion is mifepristone followed by misoprostol (regimen differs by gestational age). Safe Abortion Guidelines, Executive Summary, Box 2- Recommendation.
Where mifepristone is not available, the recommended method for medical abortion is misoprostol (regimen differs by gestational age). Safe Abortion Guidelines, Executive Summary, Box 2- Recommendation.
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Country recognized approval (mifepristone / mife-misoprostol)No Related documents:WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. The combination of mifepristone and misoprostol for medical abortion is included on the WHO model list of essential medicines. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 2.2.5
Chemists/pharmacists can help women avoid unintended pregnancy through provision of accurate contraceptive information, pregnancy tests, contraceptive methods and referral to safe abortion services. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 3.3.1.1.
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Country recognized approval (misoprostol)No Related documents:WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. The combination of mifepristone and misoprostol for medical abortion is included on the WHO model list of essential medicines. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 2.2.5
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Where can abortion services be providedRelated documents:Primary health-care centresNot specified Secondary (district-level) health-care facilitiesNot specified Specialized abortion care public facilitiesNot specified Private health-care centres or clinicsNot specified NGO health-care centres or clinicsNot specified Other (if applicable)
WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. Abortion services should be available at primary-care level, with referral systems in place for all required higher-level care. Safe Abortion Guidelines, Executive Summary, Box 6- Recommendation.
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No data |
Where can post abortion care services be providedPrimary health-care centresNo data found Secondary (district-level) health-care facilitiesNo data found Specialized abortion care public facilitiesNo data found Private health-care centres or clinicsNo data found NGO health-care centres or clinicsNo data found Other (if applicable)
WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. The facilities and skills required to manage most abortion complications are similar to those needed to care for women who have had a spontaneous abortion (miscarriage). Safe Abortion Guidelines § 2.2.6.
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No data | No data |
Who can provide abortion servicesRelated documents:NurseNo Midwife/nurse-midwifeNo Doctor (specialty not specified)Yes Specialist doctor, including OB/GYNYes Other (if applicable)
WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. Subject to gestational age and method, abortion care can be safely provided by any properly trained health-care provider, including specialist doctors, non-specialist doctors; associate and advanced associate clinicians; midwives; and nurses. Health Worker Roles in Safe Abortion Care, p 33- Recommendation.
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Extra facility/provider requirements for delivery of abortion servicesReferral linkages to a higher-level facilityNot specified Availability of a specialist doctor, including OB/GYNNot specified Minimum number of bedsNot specified Other (if applicable)
WHO GuidanceThe following descriptions and recommendations were extracted from WHO guidance on safe abortion. Abortion facilities within both the public and private sectors should be available at all levels of the health system, with appropriate referral mechanisms between facilities. Safe Abortion Guidelines, § 3.3.1.
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| Country | Public sector providers |
Private sector providers |
Provider type not specified |
Neither Type of Provider Permitted |
Public facilities |
Private facilities |
Facility type not specified |
Neither Type of Facility Permitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Costa Rica |
No data | No data | No data | No data | No data | No data | No data | No data |
Concluding Observations issued by respective treaty bodies and selected extracts related to abortion.
| Country | CAT |
CEDAW |
CERD |
CESCR |
CRC |
CRPD |
HRC |
IE HAIT |
SR HEALTH |
SR TORTURE |
SR VAW |
WG-DWLP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Costa Rica |
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Concluding ObservationsCEDAW“The Committee expresses its concern about the inadequate recognition and protection of sexual and reproductive rights in the State party. It is concerned that women do not have access to legal abortion because of the lack of clear medical guidelines outlining when and how a legal abortion can be conducted. The Committee is also concerned about women’s difficulties in access to and availability of the safest and most technologically advanced contraceptive methods, including emergency contraception. It is further concerned at the limited assisted reproductive services available for women, including in vitro fertilization, which is banned in the State party as it was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Justice in 2000. The Committee urges the State party to: (…) (c) Elaborate clear medical guidelines on access to legal abortion and disseminate them widely among health professionals and the public at large; (d) Consider reviewing the law relating to abortion, with a view to identifying other circumstances under which abortion could be permitted, such as abortions in cases of pregnancies resulting from rape or incest;
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Concluding ObservationsCESCR“The Committee is deeply concerned about the increasingly high rate of teenage pregnancies, in spite of the State party’s policies and programmes on sexual and reproductive health, as well as the fact that no exceptions are provided to the general prohibition of abortion. The Committee urges the State party to take preventive measures to address the problem of the high rate of teenage pregnancies and to provide for exceptions in its law relating to the general prohibition of abortion in cases where the mother’s life is in danger (medical indication) or where the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.”
CESCR“The Committee is concerned about the excessively restrictive abortion laws, since abortion is permitted only when there is a serious risk to the pregnant woman’s life or health. It is further concerned that, in practice, even in the case where the law does permit abortion, access to the procedure is not ensured, owing to the lack of protocols determining when the procedure should be carried out (art. 12). [….] The Committee recommends that the State party:
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Concluding ObservationsCRC“While welcoming the Health Plan for Adolescents 2010–2015, the Committee is concerned about: (…) The lack of access to legal abortions, the absence of guidelines informing doctors when they can legally perform an abortion, the high rate of unsafe abortions, and the lack of adequate post-abortion care; (…) Referring to its general comment No. 4 (2003) on adolescent health and development in the context of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Committee recommends that the State party: (…) (c) Adopt guidelines informing doctors when they can legally perform abortions in cases of risk to the life and health of mothers and clarifying that the health exception in article 121 of the Penal Code applies, inter alia, to pregnancies resulting from sexual violence and to those pregnancies involving a severely malformed fetus, and ensure the right of pregnant women and adolescents to appeal decisions of doctors; (d) Expand legal abortion in cases of rape and intra-family sexual violence and improve the availability and quality of post-abortion care in public hospitals; (…)”
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Concluding ObservationsHRC“The Committee is concerned that abortion is permitted only when there is a serious risk to the pregnant woman’s life or health and that the law does not permit other exceptions, such as in cases of rape, incest or fatal fetal impairment. It is also concerned that, even in the sole case where the law permits abortion, the procedure is not available in practice owing to the lack of protocols determining when the procedure should be carried out, thus prompting pregnant women to seek clandestine abortions which endanger their lives and health.[….] The State party should: (a) Amend its legislation to introduce additional grounds for voluntary termination of pregnancy, such as when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest or in cases of fatal fetal impairment, in order to ensure that legal obstacles do not lead women to resort to clandestine abortion, which endangers their lives and health; (b) Adopt without delay a protocol that ensures access to abortion when there is a risk to the mother’s life or health;”
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Country specific information regarding abortion related penalties. Information regarding penalties has been presented in English only; this information is not based on an official translation. Please review the source documents provided.
| Country | Penalties deconstructed |
Penalties for woman |
Penalties for provider |
Penalties for person who assists |
Secondary additional considerations/judicial discretion |
Penalties for non-consensual abortion and or negligence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Costa Rica |
Penalties deconstructedLegal grounds specified; penalties for all other abortions |
PenaltiesSECTION II Abortion Abortion with or without consent. ARTICLE 118.- The person who causes the death of a fetus will be sanctioned as follows: 1) With imprisonment of three to ten years, if the person acts without the consent of the woman or if she is under fifteen years. The penalty will be two to eight years, if the fetus (*) had reached six months gestation; 2) With imprisonment of one to three years, if the person acts with the consent of the woman. That penalty will be from six months to two years, if the fetus had not reached six months gestation. In the previous cases, the respective penalty will be increased, if the act results in the death of the woman. Abortion sought. ARTICLE 119.- The woman who consents or causes her own abortion shall be sanctioned with imprisonment of one to three years. That penalty will be from six months to two years, if the fetus had not reached six months gestation. Abortion honoris causa. ARTICLE 120.- If the abortion has been committed to conceal the dishonor of the woman, either by herself or by third parties with the consent of the woman, the penalty will be three months to two years in prison. Unpunished abortion. ARTICLE 121.- Abortion is not punishable if practiced with the consent of the woman by a doctor or by an authorized obstetrician, when the intervention of the first has not been possible, if it has been done in order to avoid a danger to the life or the health of the mother, and this cannot have been avoided by other means. Miscarriage ARTICLE 122.- The person who by fault will cause an abortion will be punished with sixty to one hundred and twenty days fine. |
PenaltiesSECTION II Abortion Abortion with or without consent. ARTICLE 118.- The person who causes the death of a fetus will be sanctioned as follows: 1) With imprisonment of three to ten years, if the person acts without the consent of the woman or if she is under fifteen years. The penalty will be two to eight years, if the fetus (*) had reached six months gestation; 2) With imprisonment of one to three years, if the person acts with the consent of the woman. That penalty will be from six months to two years, if the fetus had not reached six months gestation. In the previous cases, the respective penalty will be increased, if the act results in the death of the woman. Abortion sought. ARTICLE 119.- The woman who consents or causes her own abortion shall be sanctioned with imprisonment of one to three years. That penalty will be from six months to two years, if the fetus had not reached six months gestation. Abortion honoris causa. ARTICLE 120.- If the abortion has been committed to conceal the dishonor of the woman, either by herself or by third parties with the consent of the woman, the penalty will be three months to two years in prison. Unpunished abortion. ARTICLE 121.- Abortion is not punishable if practiced with the consent of the woman by a doctor or by an authorized obstetrician, when the intervention of the first has not been possible, if it has been done in order to avoid a danger to the life or the health of the mother, and this cannot have been avoided by other means. Miscarriage ARTICLE 122.- The person who by fault will cause an abortion will be punished with sixty to one hundred and twenty days fine. |
PenaltiesSECTION II Abortion Abortion with or without consent. ARTICLE 118.- The person who causes the death of a fetus will be sanctioned as follows: 1) With imprisonment of three to ten years, if the person acts without the consent of the woman or if she is under fifteen years. The penalty will be two to eight years, if the fetus (*) had reached six months gestation; 2) With imprisonment of one to three years, if the person acts with the consent of the woman. That penalty will be from six months to two years, if the fetus had not reached six months gestation. In the previous cases, the respective penalty will be increased, if the act results in the death of the woman. Abortion sought. ARTICLE 119.- The woman who consents or causes her own abortion shall be sanctioned with imprisonment of one to three years. That penalty will be from six months to two years, if the fetus had not reached six months gestation. Abortion honoris causa. ARTICLE 120.- If the abortion has been committed to conceal the dishonor of the woman, either by herself or by third parties with the consent of the woman, the penalty will be three months to two years in prison. Unpunished abortion. ARTICLE 121.- Abortion is not punishable if practiced with the consent of the woman by a doctor or by an authorized obstetrician, when the intervention of the first has not been possible, if it has been done in order to avoid a danger to the life or the health of the mother, and this cannot have been avoided by other means. Miscarriage ARTICLE 122.- The person who by fault will cause an abortion will be punished with sixty to one hundred and twenty days fine. |
PenaltiesARTICLE 93.- The judicial pardon that can be granted the judges to the condemned to extinguish or reduce the sentence, having previously the assessment that the Institute of Criminology provides on personality, in the following cases: (…) 4) Whoever has caused an abortion to save her own honor or has obtained it for that purpose for an ascendant or direct descendant or sister; 5) The woman who caused her own abortion if the pregnancy was the result of rape; |
PenaltiesARTICLE 118.- The person who causes the death of a fetus will be sanctioned as follows: 1) With imprisonment of three to ten years, if the person acts without the consent of the woman or if she is under fifteen years. The penalty will be two to eight years, if the fetus (*) had reached six months gestation; |
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