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Trans-Canada Services
A Canadian index to accessing abortion services through clinics, hospitals and referral services. |
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Canada's abortion policies are among the most progressive in the world. According to the 1992 UN Report on Abortion, Canada is one of the few countries to allow abortion on demand. Women seeking to terminate pregnancies in Canada are granted their wish on all six of the following grounds: to save the life of the woman; to preserve physical health; to preserve mental health; rape or incest; foetal impairment; economic or social reasons. The difference between abortion available for "economic or social reasons," and simply available "upon request," is that in the latter case, the woman does not need to justify her reasons for wanting an abortion in the "eyes of the law."
Abortion is covered under all provincial and territorial health care plans (except in P.E.I.). Women need a doctor's referral for hospital abortions, which are usually done under general anaesthetic (sometimes local anaesthetic) within 20 weeks gestation (sometimes less). Not many hospitals provide second trimester abortions, but usually hospitals in the major metropolitan areas do. Many rural or remote hospitals are often unable to provide abortion because the surgeons do not perform that particular surgery. Surprisingly, doctors who perform abortions are sometimes found in remote areas where you'd least expect them. Catholic hospitals do not offer abortion services or counselling. Women do not need a referral from a doctor to attain an abortion from a free-standing clinic. Each clinic has its own unique policies, but usually provides either a medical abortion using methotrexate (up to 8 weeks) or under local anaesthetic (anywhere between 6-18 weeks). All clinics provide pregnancy testing, decision-making counselling, pre- and post-abortion counselling, as well as birth control counselling. Your treatment in an established abortion clinic (listed below) will provide pro-woman services that respect your dignity and confidentiality. |
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| [Alberta] [British Columbia] [Manitoba] [New Brunswick] [Newfoundland] [Northwest Territories] [Nova Scotia] [Ontario] [Prince Edward Island] [Quebec] [Saskatchewan] [Yukon] |
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