Abortion in Laos

Abortion in Laos was on the whole illegal before 2021, when the law was changed to allow the termination of pregnancy in certain circumstances.

Under the new legislation, abortion is permitted in the cases of:
 * The pregnant individual has significant health conditions including heart disease, blood diseases, mental health issues, cancer, kidney disease, among others named in the legislation.
 * The pregnant individual is a member of a low-income family, has more than four children already, or is below the age of majority.
 * The foetus has an intellectual disability, or has been exposed to poison or over 15 rads of radiation.
 * The foetus was otherwise lost.
 * The pregnancy was a result of rape or birth control failure.

Public opinion
In general, Laotian people have negative associations with abortion. A study published in 2020 suggested that only one in three Laotian adolescents were aware of induced abortion. Of those, however, 71% believed that the decision to have an abortion should be the woman's personal choice.