Since 1988, abortion has been decriminalized in Canada and protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In Quebec, it is offered by the public health network in hospitals, CLSCs, private clinics and community organizations. Legally, abortion is possible at any stage of pregnancy. There are two methods of termination of pregnancy (GI), also known as abortion: the medication-assisted method and the surgical method.

Medication abortion

To terminate a pregnancy by medication, the person must consult an‧e accredited‧le professional‧e (doctors, IPS, midwife) to obtain Mifégymiso, a combination of two drugs. Mifepristone is taken first to stop the development of the pregnancy, followed by Misoprostol 24 to 48 hours later, causing cramping and bleeding to evacuate the uterus. This method is available up to 9 weeks of pregnancy.

Interruption of pregnancy by instruments

Instrumental GI is performed in the clinic under local anaesthetic, without cutting or stitching, and is followed by an hour’s rest. It is generally performed by dilatation-aspiration-curettage from the 5th week of pregnancy.

For 3rd-trimester pregnancies, since 2020, people are no longer transferred to the U.S. for 3rd-trimester termination. Pregnancy termination is available in Quebec, regardless of the number of weeks of pregnancy. Termination of pregnancy is free of charge for those with RAMQ or private insurance coverage.

• Bursts of information on termination of pregnancy
• Comparative table of the two methods in PDF
• Ta raison, c’est la bonne! information campaign
• Fédération québécoise pour le planning des naissances (FQPN)
• Éducaloi
• List of anti-choice groups in Canada
• Leave in the event of termination of pregnancy