Mandatory cooling-off period for abortion is abolished

Image: Shutterstock

After the House of Representatives, the Senate today also voted in favor of the bill that the PvdA, GroenLinks, VVD and D66 submitted together. This means that women will no longer have to wait five days if they want to terminate their pregnancy.

The five-day cooling-off period started after a woman visited her GP and was intended to help women make an informed decision. The idea behind the bill is that women can decide for themselves how long they need to make this decision. After the amendment to the law (which will probably take effect on 1 January 2023), women can therefore determine a term themselves in consultation with the doctor.

There may be another change coming around abortion. In March, the House of Representatives approved a private member’s bill that would allow GPs to provide the abortion pill. The Senate is still considering it.