Rural women face barriers to abortion, contraceptive care, MoH review says

28 April 2025
Monique Steele

Access to abortion and contraceptive healthcare has improved in New Zealand in recent years, but there are concerns women who live in remote or rural areas face greater challenges to accessing this care than their urban-dwelling counterparts.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Health reviewed certain matters under the Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act (1977), and how the law was working in the years following a legislative change which decriminalised abortion and integrated other health services to it, in 2020.

Continued: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/559295/rural-women-face-barriers-to-abortion-contraceptive-care-moh-review-says

28.04.2025

News

belief-based care denial

conscientious objection

Jackie Edmond

Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa

Sterilisation and Abortion Act 1977

New Zealand – Review into timely and equitable access to contraception, sterilisation and abortion health care services

8 April 2025

The first periodic Review of Certain Matters under the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977 is available now.

As the steward of the health system, the Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora plays an important role in ensuring public safety and quality through our regulation and monitoring functions. This includes the administration of the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977 (the CSA Act).

This first review builds the foundations for the next periodic review and shows us where to prioritise our ongoing monitoring and regulation.

Continued: https://www.health.govt.nz/news/review-into-timely-and-equitable-access-to-contraception-sterilisation-and-abortion-health-care

08.04.2025

Research

Contraception Sterilisation and Abortion Act 1977

‘It Just Adds Another Layer of Stress’: Rainbow people’s experiences of abortion services in Aotearoa New Zealand

8 April 2025

This research report was commissioned by the Ministry to help inform the Review of Certain Matters under the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977. It was one of three reports commissioned for three different consumer groups.

The research report focuses on the experiences of rainbow people and provides insights into how abortion health care services are perceived and accessed by this group since changes to the law in 2020.

Individual themes from the report for rainbow people: The overarching theme from the report of rainbow people involved the structural heteronormative discrimination of the health system against the rainbow community. A central component of this discrimination was a lack of recognition of the reproductive potential, ability and needs of the rainbow population.

Continued: https://www.health.govt.nz/publications/it-just-adds-another-layer-of-stress-rainbow-peoples-experiences-of-abortion-services-in-aotearoa

08.04.2025

abortion access for rainbow people

Contraception Sterilisation and Abortion Act 1977

LGBT Rights

New Zealand

Oceania

New Zealand – No change to abortion laws, new Health Minister Simeon Brown promises

No change to abortion laws, new Health Minister Simeon Brown promises

Jan 21, 2025
Anneke Smith, Political reporter

Newly-appointed Health Minister Simeon Brown says abortion rights and access to services won't change under his watch. Brown's opposition to abortion has been on the public record for years, having led a pro-life group at university and voted against law reform in 2020.

Both he and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon have been quick to snub suggestions Brown's promotion to the health portfolio at the weekend could change abortion rights or access. "Every politician has views but what I'm saying is my personal views have been on the public record but we're not changing the legislation," Brown told reporters in Hamilton on Wednesday morning.

Continued: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/539608/no-change-to-abortion-laws-new-health-minister-simeon-brown-promises

21.01.2025

The 2024 Abortion Services Aotearoa New Zealand annual report is available

17 December 2024

The Ministry of Health has published the Abortion Services Aotearoa New Zealand: Annual Report 2024. This provides a snapshot of abortion services for the 2023 calendar year. The findings within this report highlight continued improvements following both the 2020 law reform and the 2022 health reforms.

… Summary of key findings
Abortion numbers have increased by 14.9% compared to 2022 reporting. This is likely due to service access improvements such as telehealth and easier access to medicines through collection directly from pharmacies.

Continued: https://www.health.govt.nz/news/the-2024-abortion-services-aotearoa-new-zealand-annual-report-is-available

17.12.2024

abortion rates in New Zealand

Abortion Services Aotearoa New Zealand

Contraception Sterilisation and Abortion Act 1977

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

New Zealand

Oceania

New Zealand – Remembering the lives lost to illegal abortion in NZ

Nov 29, 2024

Before abortion was decriminalised in the late 1970s, generations of New Zealand women had to risk their own lives to terminate a pregnancy.

Some took pills and potions from back-street chemists, others threw themselves down staircases, took rugged horse rides, drank gin in the bath and inserted coat hangers into their vaginas.

Until the 1970s, about 20 women a year died as a result of abortions gone wrong, historian Jock Phillips tells RNZ's Nine to Noon, and this difficult aspect of Aotearoa's history deserves to be better understood.

Continued: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/535258/remembering-the-lives-lost-to-illegal-abortion-in-nz

Ministry warns against the use of progesterone for ‘abortion reversal’

11 July 2024

The Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora has published a position statement on ‘abortion reversal’ to warn New Zealanders against this unsafe and scientifically unsupported practice.

The Ministry does not support or recognise the practice, which is aimed at reversing the effects of taking early medical abortion (EMA) medication. The Ministry is concerned about reports ‘abortion reversals’ may be offered in New Zealand.

Continued: https://www.health.govt.nz/news-media/news-items/ministry-warns-against-use-progesterone-abortion-reversal

11.07.2024

News

abortion pill reversal

abortion reversal

early medical abortion

Manatū Hauora

Royal Australia New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

New Zealand /Australia – New clinical guideline for abortion care released

The guidance has been described as an ‘important step’ towards universal access to safe and high-quality abortion care.

Jolyon Attwooll
06 Nov 2023

A new clinical guideline developed by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) has been released.

Targeted at registered health professionals who provide abortion advice and care in both Australia and New Zealand, the document is the first binational guideline on abortion.

Continued: https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/new-clinical-guideline-for-abortion-care-released

06.11.2023

News

clinical guidelines for abortion

Dr Gill Gibson

RANZCOG

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

New Zealand – RANZCOG guideline expected to be ‘helpful’ for GPs

The RACGP has said a new evidence-based abortion care guideline will support clinicians involved in reproductive healthcare.

Jolyon Attwooll
06 Sep 2023

The RACGP has expressed its support for a draft clinical guideline on abortion care compiled by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG).

In a response sent to RANZCOG last week, the college said the guideline is detailed and will support GPs involved in reproductive healthcare.

Continued: https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/racgp-backs-comprehensive-abortion-care-guideline

06.09.2023

News

RACGP

RANZCOG

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners

New Zealand – Big win for Dunedin’s ‘dicks guy’

Hamish McNeilly
Aug 01 2023

Sam Sharpe continues to hold a counter protest over anti abortion protesters who gather outside Dunedin Hospital on Fridays. Dunedin’s famous ‘Dicks guy’, will soon be a dicks guy no longer.

Sam Sharpe has famously led a counter-protest against abortion protesters near an abortion clinic at Dunedin Hospital every Friday for nearly ten years.

Continued: https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/gender-and-society/132656626/big-win-for-dunedins-dicks-guy

01.08.2023