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FRANCE
Late-term abortions, no parental rights
Proposal extends abortion term, revokes parents’ control
The French Government proposed new legislation in July that would extend the time during pregnancy in which a mother may receive an abortion and that would lift restrictions on girls receiving abortions or abortifacient drugs.
Under the proposal, the legal period for abortion would be extended from 10 weeks of pregnancy to 12 weeks. The proposals would also remove parents’ rights to decide whether their daughters under 18 could have an abortion or use so-called “emergency contraceptives” which actually cause a spontaneous abortion soon after conception. The measure would allow the girls to receive the drug, which has been shown to have serious side-effects in some women, over the counter in pharmacies without the need for prescriptions.
Employment Minister Martine Aubry said the abortion deadline extension would bring France in line with other European countries, saying about 5,000 women travel outside of France every year for abortions. The bills are expected to be proposed at the beginning of October.
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