This page has information about abortion laws in NSW. For information on abortions, including how to find services, please visit:
In NSW, the Abortion Law Reform Act 2019 (Act) ensures that abortion care is treated as a health issue and that it is not a crime. The Act supports your right to make decisions about your reproductive health. It also helps health professionals to provide safe abortion care.
In 2025, the Act was updated to allow nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives to provide early medical abortion care if this falls within their scope of practice.
This change increases choices for women seeking abortion care, especially in regional areas of NSW where access to abortion care may be limited.
If you are 22 weeks pregnant, or less, it is your decision to have an abortion. Your health professional (doctor, nurse practitioner, or endorsed midwife) will talk to you about whether counselling might help you to decide to have an abortion or not. If you are interested, they will give you information about how to access counselling, including low-cost or free options.
If you are more than 22 weeks pregnant, the decision to have an abortion must be made together by you and a specialist doctor (such as an obstetrician, gynaecologist or GP obstetrician). Your doctor must offer you information about counselling, including low-cost or free options. This does not apply in emergencies.
A health professional may 'conscientiously object' to performing, assisting in or advising on an abortion if it conflicts with their own personal beliefs, values or moral concerns. If this happens, they must tell you promptly, and either:
If you have concerns about your health professional, you can make a complaint to the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission
You can:
