Moving to Fuerteventura

Without opening a can of worms… this information on abortions in Fuerteventura is provided so that women in this sensitive situation know that help is available to them. This is not a portal for debate on the subject… there are plenty of forums and message boards for that purpose.

The Legal Side

Article 417 of the Penal Code states that Abortion is not an offence if the procedure is carried out by a qualified medical practitioner in a registered clinic with the express written consent of the pregnant woman under the following circumstances:

1. To avoid physical or mental harm to the mother (in this case two independant specialists must provide their consent)
2. If the pregnancy is the result of rape or an act of incest that has been reported to the police. This abortion must however be carried out within the first trimester of pregnancy.
3. If the baby is severely physically or mentally handicapped. The abortion must take place within the first 22 weeks of pregnancy. In this instance two specialists from an approved health centre plus the supervising doctor must certify that the foetus will suffer major detriment if allowed to be born.
4. In the case of a severe accident or some kind of emergency that puts the mother’s life at jeopardy, the procedure may be carried out without the express consent of the doctor and without that of the mother.

All voluntary abortions carried out must be reported to the Spanish national health authorities by the Ministry of Health of each area upon receipt of a form filled out by the doctor that is performing the abortion. The woman by law is allowed to remain anonymous.

If one of the above four circumstances exists, the Spanish Social Security will pay the costs of the termination.

Non-Spanish residents who contribute to the Spanish Social Security system, are entitled to the same healthcare rights as Spanish nationals. A social security card (tarjeta de seguridad social), must be shown to the doctor when the abortion is first requested. This is available from your asesoria or employer.

If the case does not fit into one of the four categories mentioned above, then the abortion will not be covered by the Spanish national health service. However, those on a low income can apply for help with the costs.

There is not currently a dedicated termination clinic in Fuerteventura, or indeed this end of the Canary Islands, so do speak to your doctor as soon as possible who will be able to advise whether it is possible for a doctor on the island to perform the procedure, or whether a trip is in order.

Attitudes Towards Abortion in Fuerteventura

Views range from the one stance that abortion is only admissible in the case where the woman’s physical health is at risk, to the other extreme who believe women have the right to voluntarily end their pregnancy at any given time and for whatever reason. This website does not publicly announce or support any views.