Abortion in Ivory Coast

Abortion in Ivory Coast is heavily restricted under the national penal code. Although legal exceptions exist, the procedure is largely criminalized, and those who seek or perform abortions outside the allowed conditions face serious penalties. In recent years, limited legal grounds have been added, such as risk to the pregnant person's life or health, rape, incest, or severe fetal anomalies, but access remains highly regulated and practically inaccessible for most.

Is abortion legal in Ivory Coast?

Yes, but only in limited cases such as risk to the pregnant person’s life or health, rape, incest, or severe fetal abnormalities, and only with strict medical and legal approvals. While abortion is legally permitted in Ivory Coast under specific conditions, accessing it remains difficult in practice. The law allows abortion when the pregnancy poses a threat to the person’s life or physical/mental health, or in cases of rape, incest, or severe fetal malformation. These exceptions were clarified in the 2019 Penal Code and modestly expanded through reforms in 2024 [1].Despite these legal grounds, the process to obtain a legal abortion is complex. It typically requires written consent, the approval of two doctors, and, in cases of sexual violence, a police report and judicial authorization. The absence of clear clinical guidelines, combined with provider hesitancy and social stigma, means that very few abortions are actually performed legally. As a result, many people continue to rely on unsafe, informal methods, increasing the risk of health complications and maternal mortality [2].