Abortion in Angola

angola-country-flag

Angola has strict legislation that bans abortions in all circumstances except to save a woman’s life. Post-abortion care (PAC) services; however, are still available in select healthcare facilities.

Is Abortion Legal in Angola?

Abortion in Angola is only legal if it will save the woman’s life. Those who perform abortions under conditions other than this face up to 2-8 years in prison.

What Types of Abortion are Available in Angola?

Both Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) and Misoprostol are available in Angola, but only for use in Post Abortion Care (PAC) for the treatment of incomplete abortions and miscarriages. [1]

What is the abortion rate in Angola? How Many Women Have Abortions?

Out of 246,235 total abortions, 169,902 were unsafe abortions (68.9%) [2].

In-Clinic Abortion

What are the Different Types of in-clinic Abortion Procedures Available in Angola?

Manual Vacuum Aspiration abortion and abortion with Misoprostol pills are both available as in-clinic abortion procedures, but only for the treatment of incomplete abortions and miscarriages.

Is Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) safe?

MVA is a very safe method of abortion for pregnancies in the first trimester, and/or early second trimester all the way up to 14 weeks of gestation. MVA is 99% effective. [3]

You can get more information on the MVA procedure here.

Where Can I get a Manual Vacum Aspiration (MVA) Abortion in Angola?

MVA is available as an in-patient procedure and at hospitals and health centers. Trained doctors, nurses and midwives can all perform the procedure.

How Much Does Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) Cost in Angola?

DATA NOT AVAILABLE

Are There Any Side Effects of Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA)?

The most common side effect is cramping during the procedure. Often this cramping will improve quickly afterwards, but some women may experience cramping on and off for a few days or weeks. Most women will experience bleeding and cramping during and after MVA, these symptoms will gradually improve in the following days after the procedure. [3]

Abortion with Pills (Medical Abortion)

Are the Abortion Pills (Mifepristone and Misoprostol) Available in Angola?

Misoprostol is available in Angola, but only for use in Post-Abortion Care (PAC).

How Late Into a Pregnancy Can the Abortion Pills Be Used?

The abortion pills can be used within the first 13 weeks of pregnancy.

Do I Need a Prescription for Misoprostol?

Given that Misoprostol is only used for the treatment of incomplete abortions and miscarriages, a prescription will be required to obtain it in Angola.

What Brands of Abortion Pill Are Popular in Angola?

Only Misoprostol is available in Angola, and the WHO-approved brand is called Avertiso by Acme Generics LLP. It comes in a pack of 4 pills of 200mcg. [4]

How Much Do the Abortion Pills Cost in Angola?

DATA NOT AVAILABLE

Who Can I Contact for More Information on Abortion in Angola?

You can get in touch with safe2choose’s counselors by email at info@safe2choose.org or by livechat.

You can also reach out to Women on Web or Women Help Women.

LEARN ABOUT YOUR COUNTRY

Authors:

by the safe2choose team and supporting experts at carafem, based on the 2019 recommendations by Ipas, and the 2012 recommendations by the WHO.

safe2choose is an online counseling and informational plateform that supports women who want a safe abortion, and when needed, refers them to trusted, trained and pro-choice healthcare providers.

carafem provides convenient and professional abortion care and family planning so people can control the number and spacing of their children.

Ipas is the only international organization solely focused on expanding access to safe abortion and contraceptive care.

WHO is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health

[1] VSI. Expanding Access to Postabortion Care Services in Angola with the Introduction of Misoprostol. Retrieved from: http://bixby.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/VSI_Angola-MOH-PAC-Brief-2013-06-20F.pdf

[2] SSM Population Health. Do perceived contraception attitudes influence abortion stigma? Evidence from Luanda, Angola. Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352827317302550

[3] Ipas. Clinical Updates in Reproductive Health. 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.ipas.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Ipas-Clinical-Updates-in-Reproductive-Health-CURHE23b.pdf

[4] IPPF. Medical Abortion Commodities Database. Retrieved from:https://www.medab.org/advanced-search-multiple-results?country=334&commodity=all&brand=all#multiple-search-result