Law No. 2435-XII “on Healthcare”

Under Art. 26, sterilization of a person may be performed in a State healthcare organization upon the written application of the person who has reached the age of 35 or has at least two children. In case there are “medical indications,” sterilization can be performed with the consent of the person if he or she is an adult, or a parent, guardian, etc., regardless of the age of the person or the number of existing children. Under Art. 27, women have the right independently to decide the issue of motherhood. A woman can terminate her pregnancy (abort) at a State healthcare organization, after consultation with a specialist doctor, if the term of pregnancy is no more than 12 weeks; if there are “social indications” listed in Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus No. 1580 dated 23 October 2008, a woman can terminate her pregnancy if the term of pregnancy is no more than 22 weeks. Pregnancy may be terminated regardless of the term of the pregnancy if there are “medical indications” and the pregnant woman consents to the termination. If the pregnant woman is a minor, abortion may be performed on the same conditions, however, the consent of her legal representative (parent/guardian) is required. Healthcare organizations must provide counselling for women who have applied for an abortion. A doctor may refuse to carry out an abortion if the refusal does not threaten the life or health of the woman and must make arrangements for another specialist doctor to perform the abortion.