Abortion in Poland

Quick Facts: Who was Abortion in Poland?

Subject:

Abortion in Poland

Known for:

A history of restrictive abortion laws in Poland, shifting from liberalization to severe limitations.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Abortion in Poland is legal in cases where the pregnancy is a result of a criminal act or when the woman's life or health is in danger. The last change in the Act on Pregnancy Planning of the Republic of Poland took place on 27 January 2021, when publication of the judgment of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal in the Dziennik Ustaw RP took place. Poland is one of the few countries in the world where abortion became largely outlawed since the 1990s after decades of permissive liberalized legislation during the communist-era Polish People's Republic. In 2010, about 10 to 15% of abortions on Polish pregnant women had to be carried out outside Poland due to the strict restraints within their own country. Poland's abortion law is also one of the most restrictive in the European Union (EU) and Europe in general, along with a group of other traditionally Roman Catholic countries of the region (e.g. Malta, Liechtenstein, Vatican City, Monaco and Andorra).

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In July 2024, a bill sponsored by the Donald Tusk government to allow abortion on request during the first trimester was rejected by the Polish lower house in a 218–215 vote. In November 2024, the Sejm sent the bill to further debate after it was re-introduced by the Left parliamentary group. The incumbent president of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, opposes liberalising Poland's abortion laws. As of 27 January 2021, abortion is legal only in cases: when the woman's life or health is endangered by the continuation of pregnancy. when the pregnancy is a result of a criminal act.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Unlike in other countries where abortion is banned, women in Poland are not subject to a penalty for illegal termination of pregnancy; the medical personnel ordering and carrying out the abortion are subject to criminal penalties including imprisonment. Consent of a physician is required for circumstance (1) above, while abortions in view of circumstance (2) above must be certified by a prosecutor. Parental consent is always required if the female seeking an abortion is a minor. Until 1932, abortion was banned in Poland without any exceptions (although an abortion performed in order to save the pregnant woman's life in the absence of any other means to do so, might have been unenforced, as an act of necessity). In that year, the new Penal Code legalised abortion only when there were medical reasons and, for the first time in Europe, when the pregnancy resulted from a criminal act.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1932: 1932 Milestone — Until 1932, abortion was banned in Poland without any exceptions (although an abortion performed in order to save the pregnant woman's life in the absence of any other means to do so, might have been unenforced, as an act of necessity).
2. 2010: 2010 Milestone — In 2010, about 10 to 15% of abortions on Polish pregnant women had to be carried out outside Poland due to the strict restraints within their own country.
3. 2021: 2021 Milestone — The last change in the Act on Pregnancy Planning of the Republic of Poland took place on 27 January 2021, when publication of the judgment of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal in the Dziennik Ustaw RP took place.
4. 2024: 2024 Milestone — In July 2024, a bill sponsored by the Donald Tusk government to allow abortion on request during the first trimester was rejected by the Polish lower house in a 218–215 vote.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Abortion in Poland

True or False: “The law allowing unlimited abortions by Polish women was permanently established after the German occupation during World War II.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The ability for unlimited abortion on request only existed during the Nazi German occupation (1939-1945); it was not a permanent legal status.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Abortion in Poland