Abortion services

An abortion (also known as a termination) is a procedure to end a pregnancy. Abortions can only be carried out in Northern Ireland under the care of one of the five Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts and are free if you live in Northern Ireland.

How to get abortion care in Northern Ireland

The only way to get abortion services in Northern Ireland is by contacting British Pregnancy Advisory Services (BPAS):

Request a consultation online
phone: 0345 730 4030

They offer free advice and counselling.

If you decide to have an abortion, they will refer you to one of the five Health Trusts.

You do not need to contact your GP.

GP practices do not offer abortion services, but can offer additional support or information.

There are no regulated private or independent clinics in Northern Ireland that offer abortion services.

Unregulated private clinics

Private clinics, also known as pregnancy crisis or pregnancy choice clinics, are unregulated.

While these clinics can offer some services, such as a scan, they cannot refer you to abortion services.

Abortion services offered in Northern Ireland

Abortion services are provided by HSC Trusts in Northern Ireland.

BPAS will refer you to your local Trust for a consultation to discuss your options.

The pregnancy is ended either by:

taking medicines
having a surgical procedure

This will depend on how many weeks pregnant you are and where possible, which you would prefer.

Abortions are safer, the earlier they are carried out.

Getting advice early gives you more time to decide, if you're unsure.

Early abortion services for pregnancies less than 12 weeks are available.

Medical abortion is available for pregnancies up to 24 weeks (and over 24 weeks in limited circumstances).

Surgical abortion is available for up to 20 weeks.

If you are between 20 and 24 weeks pregnant and you need a surgical abortion, you can get one free in England.

You will not have to pay for travel and accommodation.

This will be arranged through a HSC Trust and will be discussed at your consultation.

Deciding to have an abortion

The decision to have an abortion is yours alone.

Some women may be certain they want to have an abortion, while others may find it harder to decide.

You can talk to your partner, friends or family, but you do not have to. The decision is yours.

If you need help to understand your options, counselling is available at:

Pregnancy choices counselling
phone: 028 9031 6100

If you're under 16 years old, the doctor or nurse may encourage you to tell a parent, carer or other adult you trust, but they will not make you.

If staff think you are at risk of harm, they will talk to you about this.

Having an abortion

Before having an abortion, you'll have the chance to talk about your decision and what happens next.

You may be asked to get an ultrasound scan to work out how many weeks pregnant you are.

The length of pregnancy is calculated from the first day of your last menstrual period.

Whenever possible, you will be given a choice of how you want to have the abortion.

Abortion can either be medical or surgical.

Medical abortion

Medical abortion involves taking tablets, usually 24 to 48 hours apart, to end the pregnancy.

Medical abortion is available up to 24 weeks pregnancy.

Medical abortion over 24 weeks pregnancy is only available in limited circumstances, for example:

if your life is at risk
in cases of severe fetal impairment
in cases of fatal fetal abnormality

Surgical abortion

Surgical abortion involves a minor operation to end the pregnancy.

The pregnancy is removed through your vagina, either by using gentle suction (vacuum aspiration) or specialised instruments (dilation and evacuation).

A surgical abortion does not involve any skin incisions or cuts.

The type of procedure depends on the stage of the pregnancy.

A regional surgical abortion service is available for pregnancy up to 20 weeks.

After an abortion

After an abortion, you should take things easy for a few days.

It's likely you'll have some discomfort and vaginal bleeding for up to two weeks.

Risks of an abortion

Abortion is a safe procedure.

Abortions are safest and happen with less pain and bleeding, when carried out as early as possible in pregnancy.

Most women will not experience any problems, but there is a small risk of complications, such as:

infection of the womb (uterus)
some of the pregnancy remaining in the womb
excessive bleeding
damage to the womb or entrance of the womb (cervix)

If there are complications, you may need further treatment, including surgery.

Having an abortion will not affect your chances of becoming pregnant again and having normal pregnancies in the future.

You may get pregnant immediately after an abortion.

You should use contraception if you do not want to get pregnant.

Post abortion counselling

A pregnancy loss, or the reasons why you ended a pregnancy, can impact you or your family.

If you need support after an abortion, you can get counselling at:

Pregnancy choices counselling
phone: 028 9031 6100

Safe access zones

There are safe access zones at health care premises providing lawful abortion services.

Within a safe access zone, it’s illegal to try to influence, record, harass, or prevent anyone from accessing or providing abortion services.

There are eight safe access zones in Northern Ireland.

The zones are:

Southern Trust - Craigavon Area Hospital - 100 m
Southern Trust - Daisy Hill Hospital - 130 m
Belfast Trust - College Street - 130 m
Belfast Trust - Bradbury Wellbeing and Treatment Centre - 150 m
Northern Trust - Causeway Hospital - 100 m
Western Trust - Altnagelvin Hospital - 100 m
South Eastern Trust - Lagan Valley Hospital - 100 m
South Eastern Trust - Ulster Hospital - 100 m

Further information is displayed at the protected premises and on the Department of Health and HSC Trust websites.

Safe access zones

Contraception and advice

There are many different types of contraception and different methods will suit different people.

Sexual and Reproductive Health clinics offer a full range of contraception. These include Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC), such as coils and implants, which are the most effective types of contraception.

To find out what is available in your local HSC Trust area, visit the links below:

SH:24 offer online access to:

the combined contraceptive pill (‘the pill’)
the progesterone-only contraceptive pill (‘mini pill’)

Common Youth offer advice and contraception to young people aged under 25.

GP practices can prescribe contraception, with some practices providing a full range of contraceptive services.

You can also get advice, support and emergency hormonal contraception (‘the morning after pill’) free at community pharmacies, under Pharmacy First.

To see a map of participating pharmacies, visit:

Pharmacy First for emergency hormonal contraception

Progesterone only contraceptive pills (Hana and Lovima) are available:

to buy in pharmacies
online without prescription

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?

report a problem

leave feedback

ask a question

Report a problem

Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

A link, button or video is not working

There is a spelling mistake

Information is missing, outdated or wrong

I can't find what I'm looking for

Another issue

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

Tell us more about the problem you're having with the nidirect website.

Enter your feedback

What is your question about?

Choose a topic for your question:

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit. Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about your GRONI account, email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme, email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about 60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly. We don't have access to information about you.

Extra comments (optional)

Translation help

Select a language