The Complete Guide to Abortion in Hong Kong
5 min read
Terminating a pregnancy is a very personal and difficult decision. If you are considering abortion, Healthy Matters is here to guide you along the way. Here is all the information you need to know about abortions in Hong Kong including options, what to expect, costs, and where to go – reviewed by Dr. Michael Rogers, OBGYN in Hong Kong.
Is abortion legal in Hong Kong?
Having an abortion in Hong Kong is legal under one of the following conditions:
- if continuing the pregnancy will risk the life and debilitate the physical and/or mental health of the woman; or
- if the child is determined to be severely handicapped as a result of a physical or biochemical abnormality.
Termination of pregnancy can only be legally performed by registered doctors at gazetted hospitals or in The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong. Performing an illegal abortion or abortion by oneself or in a doctor’s clinic is liable to fine and imprisonment of both the patient and doctor. In order to perform an abortion legally, Hong Kong Government Forms 1 and 3 need to be signed by two registered doctors, one of which should be the doctor performing the procedure (usually a gynecologist). This means that to get an abortion, you will need to obtain a referral from a gynecologist: referrals can be obtained from the Family Planning Association, The Department of Health (Maternal and Child Health Centres), or from a private doctor.
What is the time limit for having an abortion in Hong Kong?
In Hong Kong, termination of pregnancy can only be performed within 24 weeks of pregnancy unless it is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman. However, each medical provider, the doctor or hospital, may have different time limits. See below for more details.
What are the options for abortion in Hong Kong?
There are two ways to perform an early pregnancy termination; a medical procedure and a surgical procedure. Below are the specifics of each procedure, including the risks and side effects.
| Options in Hong Kong | Medical Termination | Surgical Termination |
| The Procedure: What to Expect | The most common form of medical termination uses two drugs administered over 2 days. Mifipristone is administered orally either in the doctor’s office or in the hospital outpatient department. Misoprostol (Cytotec) is then administered vaginally or orally (oral, sublingual or buccal) between 24 and 48 hours later, either in the hospital (Matilda Hospital protocol) or at home. Abortion usually occurs within 4-6 hours. No anesthesia is required but injection for pain relief may be necessary. No antibiotic prophylaxis is usually required. | The cervix is firstly dilated either medically (pre-operatively) or surgically under anesthesia.
|
| Risks & Side Effects: What to Expect | Incomplete abortion, which may need to be followed by surgical abortion.
| Adverse drug reactions, complications related to the anesthesia.
|
Where to get it and how much does an abortion cost in Hong Kong?
The Family Planning Association (FPA) of Hong Kong is an independent NGO dedicated to helping women get easy access to all forms of contraception and to abortion where deemed appropriate.
The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong
Address: 130, Hennessy Road, Wan Chai
Tel: 2575 4477
Website: www.famplan.org.hk
How much: Medical or Surgical Termination under local anesthesia: HK$3,500 (Entitled persons), HK$4,700 (Non-entitled persons)/ Monitored Anesthetic Care: HK$1,900
The FPA can only provide termination services for patients who are pregnant up to ten week's gestation and have no complicating medical disease or previous uterine surgery (such as a cesarean section).
Maternal & Child Health Centres, Department of Health
Address: Check the website for locations.
Tel: 2112 9900
Website: www.fhs.gov.hk, get more information on abortion here.
Below are the listed private hospitals where you can obtain an abortion; referral may still be needed or provided by on-staff doctors.
Matilda International Hospital
Address: 41 Mount Kellett Road. The Peak, Hong Kong
Tel: 2849 1500
Website: www.matilda.org
How much: HK$22,000 with a referral from FPA, with no referral HK$40,000 and up.
Matilda provides termination services for patients who are pregnant up to 14 weeks for surgical termination and up to 7 weeks for a medical termination. For cases between 15 and 24 weeks, termination of pregnancy may be performed for fetal abnormality or serious maternal medical conditions subject to approval by the Medical Superintendant.
Address: 1 Nam Fung Path, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong
Telephone: 2122 1333
Website: www.gleneagles.hk
How much: HK$17,000 (confirmation pending)
Gleneagles provides termination services for patients who are pregnant under 12 weeks gestation.
Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital
Address: Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
Tel: 2835 7878
Website: www.hksh-hospital.com
How much: First consultation fee HK$1,600-$2,000/ Second doctor's consultation fee: HK$400
Operation fee: HKD$25,000-35,000 (Medication, ultrasound, and other laboratory fees are not included).
Termination of pregnancy can be arranged after the consultation with their on-staff doctors. You can arrange to see a doctor after 6 weeks of pregnancy, under Hong Kong’s law termination of pregnancy can only be arranged before 24 weeks.
Address: 18 Fu Kin St, Tai Wai
Tel: 2608 3222
Website: www.union.org
How much: In order to get costing from this hospital you must make an appointment to see a doctor.
Union Hospital provides termination services for patients who are under 20 weeks.
Does insurance cover abortion?
According to health insurance advisor Alea, in Hong Kong most insurance plans cover abortion for serious medical conditions. However, the circumstances vary and are done on a case-by-case basis. You may also be required to provide medical justification. In some cases, you may need to have maternity cover and respect the maternity waiting time for abortion to be covered by your insurance provider. Some plans do not cover abortion under any circumstances including plans where maternity cover is provided.
Contraception is the best way to avoid unwanted pregnancy, you can contact The Hong Kong Family Planning Association, the resources listed above, and your doctor for more information on contraceptive options available.
Reviewed by Dr. Michael Rogers 羅傑士醫生 and updated on May 2020.
Dr. Michael Rogers 羅傑士醫生 received his medical training at the University of Birmingham, UK. He is Honorary Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He worked for more than 24 years in Hong Kong’s public sector before moving to private practice 10 years ago. In the field of obstetrics Dr. Rogers has published widely in international journals on diabetes, preeclampsia and fetal distress. He was awarded a Doctorate of Medicine by the Chinese University of Hong Kong for his work on preeclampsia.
FAQ
In Hong Kong, termination of pregnancy is only legal when two registered doctors have agreed that abortion is done in good faith for the health of the woman or the fetus.
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This article was independently written by Healthy Matters and is not sponsored. It is informative only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be relied upon for specific medical advice.