After week 12 of pregnancy, one must apply to a tribunal for approval for abortion, and according to the law, a provoked abortion can only be performed after week 12 if:

• The pregnancy, birth or care of the child can lead to unreasonable strain on the woman's physical or mental health
• If it puts the woman in a difficult life situation
• There is a high risk of serious illness in the child (as a result of hereditary disease or harmful influences during pregnancy)
• If the woman became pregnant under conditions mentioned in the Penal Code (eg abuse)
• If the woman is severely mentally ill or significantly mentally retarded.

If you have tested positive (you are pregnant), but you do not want to keep the child, you have the right in Norway to self-determined abortion until the end of the 12th week of pregnancy. If you are over 16 years of age, you can call the optional hospital directly to arrange an appointment for an abortion without a referral from a doctor or health nurse. Abortion is free to perform in a hospital and there are also free public services for guidance if you are unsure. Amathea.no is a free service for you who are unsure of your pregnancy.

Once you have contacted the hospital, you will receive an appointment for a consultation. Here you get thorough information about how a provoked abortion is performed, as well as an ultrasound that determines how far the pregnancy has come. If it is less than 9 weeks, most people are offered a medical abortion. This takes place either at home or in a hospital, where most people choose to do it at home.

Medical abortion
You first get a pill, and then another pill 1-3 days later. These pills work so that they initiate a "birth" where the uterus repels the fetus. Most people will abort within 4-6 hours after pill number two. This causes pain, and most people find the paracetamol together with an ibux-like preparation relieves well. It is common with a little subsequent pain and about two days with heavy bleeding after the abortion.

Surgical abortion
If a surgical abortion is decided, it takes place in the hospital, usually in a light anesthesia, where the gynecologist uses a vacuum suction to empty the uterine cavity. If the pregnancy has lasted longer than 12 weeks, an abortion can only be performed when it has been approved by the tribunal. This is then a medical abortion performed at the hospital.

Complications
Complications after an abortion are rare, and in most cases these are due to an incomplete emptying of the uterus. The woman will then experience persistent heavy bleeding and sometimes pain. It is then important to contact the hospital again as soon as possible.

The chance of getting pregnant after an abortion
An abortion does not reduce the chance of getting pregnant again at a later date, but some studies have shown a slightly increased risk of premature birth in a later pregnancy.

Sick leave
After an abortion performed in 1 trimester, you usually need 3 days of sick leave after the abortion. In 2 trimesters, the need for sick leave is assessed individually.