Abortion is illegal in the Dominican Republic in all circumstances, even when the life of the pregnant woman or girl is in danger, as per the country’s Penal Code last updated on 2007. Both women and poviders are punished with prison sentences of up to two years on women and girls who induce abortions, and up to 20 years for medical professionals who provide them.
For more than two decades, legislators in the Dominican Republic have debated a new penal code.
The Executive branch has urged legislators to decriminalize abortion in three circumstances: when the life of the woman or girl is in danger, when the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest, or when the fetus has serious complications incompatible with life outside of the womb. He twice vetoed unsuccessfully penal code reforms that maintained the total abortion ban without exceptions.
The most recent attempt to reform the Code to allow abortions in these three instances was proposed last December.
Is Abortion Legal in The Dominican Republic?
No.
What Types of Abortion are Available in The Dominican Republic?
Non punishable abortions only:
Medical: Misoprostol-only regimens.
Surgical: Manual vacuum aspiration abortion (MVA) and Dilation & Curetage (D&C).
What is the abortion rate in The Dominican Republic? How Many Women Have Abortions?
Due to the restrictive access to abortion, data underestimate the number of women who have an abortion: 9,8% of pregnant women ended up in a type of abortion, according to ENDESA 2013.
Abortion is the fifth-leading cause of maternal deaths comprising 13%.
Abortion with Pills (Medical Abortion) in The Dominican Republic
Are the Abortion Pills (Mifepristone and Misoprostol) Available in The Dominican Republic?
Mifepristone: NOT available.
Misoprostol: Access highly restricted.
How Late Into a Pregnancy Can the Abortion Pills Be Used?
Technically, medical regimens can be used at any gestational age, provided the recommended regimen is used for any specific indication/gestational age.
Do I Need a Prescription for Mifepristone? Misoprostol?
Mifepristone: NOT available.
Misoprostol: Yes, a prescription is required.
What Brands of Abortion Pill Are Popular in The Dominican Republic?
Misoprostol:
Artrotec, 50 mg Diclofenac sodium/200 µg Misoprostol
Cytec, 200 µg
Cytotec, 200 µg
How Much Do the Abortion Pills Cost in The Dominican Republic?
Misoprostol: From $ 0.64 to $ 2.27 USD per pill
Who Can I Contact for More Information on Abortion in The Dominican Republic?
- http://comohacerseunaborto.com/es/republica-dominicana/
- Colectivo 28 Lunas RD
- Firma de la Colectiva Mujer y Salud de la República Dominicana
- CIPAF – Centro de Investigación para la Acción Femenina, http://www.cipaf.org.do/
- CE-Mujer – Centro de Solidaridad para el Desarrollo de la Mujer, https://mujeresforjadorasdedesarrollo.wordpress.com/ce-mujer/
- NAM – Núcleo de Apoyo a la Mujer, https://sites.google.com/site/nucleodeapoyoalamujer/servicios-y-estrategias
In-Clinic Abortion in The Dominican Republic
What are the Different Types of in-Clinic Abortion Procedures Available in The Dominican Republic?
Manual vacuum aspiration abortions (MVA) and Dilation & Curetage abortions (D&C) for the first trimester.
Where Can I get a Manual Vacum Aspiration (MVA) Abortion in The Dominican Republic?
Non elective abortions:
Dominican Women’s Hospital
Profamilia Clinics
How Much Does Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) Cost in The Dominican Republic?
Information not available.
How to get further information?
For additional information and support, you can get in touch with our trained multilingual female counselors.
[1] The Total Criminalization of Abortion in the Dominican Republic | HRW
[2] The World’s Abortion Laws | Center for Reproductive Rights
[3] Encuesta Demográfica y de Salud de la República Dominicana 2013.
[4] Situación del Aborto en República Dominicana. PROFamilia 2016
[5] Perfil de la Salud Materna ODM5. República Dominicana. OPS 2013
[6] Disponibilidad y uso obstétrico del misoprostol en los países de América Latina y el Caribe. Luis Távara-Orozco, Susana Chávez, Daniel Grossman, Diana Lara, Martha María Blandón. Revista Peruana de Ginecología y Obstetricia. 2008, 54(4)