The Shift From Criminalization to Legalization of Abortion in Argentina

Abstract

After 100 years of considering abortion a criminal offense, Argentina underwent a major change in the legal framework on December 30, 2020, when Congress approved Law 27.610, Acceso a la Interrupción Voluntaria del Embarazo (Access to Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy). With enactment of this law, the country transitioned from criminalization to legalization of abortion on request up to 14 weeks’ gestational age while keeping the legal indications for abortion (ie, rape or risk to life or health of the pregnant person) as before. This Viewpoint describes this transition and the changes that have resulted and provides some preliminary insights.