OLVG starts trial for late-term abortions
The OLVG hospital in Amsterdam has started a trial for performing late-term abortions. This concerns pregnancy terminations between the 22nd and 24th week. Although this medical procedure is legally permitted in the Netherlands, it remains a sensitive subject in both society and the medical world.
In the Netherlands, abortion is legal up to the 24th week of pregnancy. Until now, however, hospitals rarely performed these procedures in the later stages of pregnancy. With this new trajectory, the OLVG aims to provide better care and clarity for women who find themselves in this difficult situation.
The decision to offer this care has been made carefully. The hospital emphasizes that an extensive medical and ethical review takes place for every request. There must be a medical necessity or a very serious situation, in which doctors and specialists work closely together to make the right decision.
With this trial, the hospital hopes to gain more experience and improve care for patients. In the coming period, the process will be evaluated to see how it proceeds and whether this care can be continued in a responsible manner. In doing so, the OLVG continues to play an important role in complex medical care within the Dutch healthcare system.