Hospitals may continue trial of late abortion
Minister Hermans sees no reason to halt hospital trial between 22 and 24 weeks.
Health Minister Sophie Hermans answered questions about late-term abortions on Monday. The trial in which several hospitals want to offer this care will therefore continue within the existing legal framework.
Hermans's answers to the Lower House concern abortions between 22 and 24 weeks. They followed parliamentary questions from PVV MPs Alexander Kops and Geert Wilders about hospitals' plans to offer this care in cases involving a social indication. The minister published the answers on Monday.
The Netherlands permits abortion up to 24 weeks. In practice, care after approximately 22 weeks is mainly provided in hospitals because the procedure is more medically complex. The Dutch Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology wants to distribute the care more evenly across regions, so that women less often have to go abroad.
UMCG in Groningen is one of the hospitals already offering this care. The hospital previously told NOS that the physical and emotional burden on healthcare providers is considerable. According to UMCG, a better distribution among hospitals is therefore desirable. OLVG in Amsterdam is exploring participation in a trial for pregnancies between 22 and 24 weeks.
In this discussion, a social indication generally refers to a pregnancy that is unwanted or unplanned, without a serious medical abnormality being the reason. Dutch law does not make that distinction in the same way as the organisation of care: the legal limit is 24 weeks, while hospitals themselves must organise protocols and expertise.
The care remains exceptional. In 2024, more than 39,000 abortions were registered in the Netherlands; according to ministry figures, 331 took place between the 22nd and 24th weeks. The available registration does not show separately how many of these cases had a medical or social reason.
The issue remains politically controversial. Supporters emphasise timely, safe and regionally available care for women in a difficult situation. Opponents believe the Lower House must first hold an explicit social and political debate about abortion around the viability threshold. The minister has not halted the trial; the precise implementation at each hospital has not yet been fully made public.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The minister has answered parliamentary questions about abortions between 22 and 24 weeks.
- Several hospitals are exploring participation in a trial.
- The legal limit for abortion in the Netherlands is 24 weeks.
- In 2024, 331 registered abortions took place between 22 and 24 weeks.
Left
Arguments Care should be available wherever women need it. Regional distribution prevents access from depending on place of residence, money or the ability to travel abroad.
Values Bodily autonomy, equal access to healthcare and trust in professional decision-making.
Consequences Halting or restricting it could lead to delays, additional burdens and greater inequality between women.
Centre
Arguments The legal scope must be combined with careful protocols, transparent evaluation and a clear role for the Lower House. No one should be forced to participate.
Values Legal certainty, medical care, institutional responsibility and room for conscientious objection.
Consequences A limited, evaluated trial can improve access without automatically changing the legal limit or medical standards.
Right
Arguments Abortion around the viability threshold requires additional protection for unborn life. An expansion of the practice must not be introduced quietly through hospitals.
Values Protection of vulnerable life, restraint in far-reaching medical choices and democratic oversight.
Consequences Continuing without a prior debate could damage confidence in decision-making and in the limits of abortion law.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The article's core is supported by the ministerial response and publicly available information from NOS and NPO Radio 1. Details about the trial's exact implementation remain limited and have been identified as uncertain.
- confirmed Minister Sophie Hermans published answers on 21 September about abortions between 22 and 24 weeks. — The Lower House identifies the minister, date and subject. source
- confirmed The Netherlands permits abortion up to 24 weeks. — NOS describes this in the context of hospital care. source
- confirmed In 2024, there were more than 39,000 abortions, of which 331 took place between 22 and 24 weeks. — NOS attributes this to figures from the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. source
- confirmed UMCG and OLVG are involved in the discussion about expanding this care. — NOS names UMCG as a provider and OLVG as a hospital considering participation. source
Editor's note
The ministerial response and the earlier hospital plans have been confirmed. The exact participating hospitals and numbers per hospital are not fully set out in the public sources consulted.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- NU.nl — „abortus zwangerschap”
- De Telegraaf — „abortus zwangerschap”
- AD — „abortus zwangerschap”