Cape Verde
ABORTION POLICY
Grounds on which abortion is permitted
To save the life of the woman
To preserve physical health
To preserve mental health
Rape or incest
Foetal impairment
Economic or social reasons
Available on request
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Additional requirements
An abortion can be performed on any grounds if gestation is within 12 weeks. Thereafter, it can be performed
only if continuance of the pregnancy poses a risk of death or of serious and permanent injury to the woman’s health,
both physical and mental; to prevent the probable transmission to the foetus of a serious hereditary or contagious
illness; or to prevent the newborn from suffering from serious physical defects or mental disturbances. An abortion
requires the woman’s consent and must be performed in a hospital, with “medical assistance”.
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CONTEXT
Government view of fertility level:
Too high
Government intervention concerning fertility level:
To lower
Government policy on contraceptive use:
Direct support provided
Percentage of currently married women using
modern contraception (aged 15-49; 1998):
53
Total fertility rate (1995-2000):
3.6
Age-specific fertility rate (per 1,000 women aged 15-19):
79
Government has expressed particular concern about:
Morbidity and mortality resulting from induced abortion
Complications of childbearing and childbirth
Yes
..
Maternal mortality ratio (per 100,000 live births; 1990):
National (1980)
Western Africa (1990)
107
1 020
Female life expectancy at birth (1995-2000):
71
Source: The Population Policy Data Bank maintained by the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of
the United Nations Secretariat. For additional sources, see list of references.
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Cape Verde
BACKGROUND
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Government of Cape Verde became concerned about the increase
in the number of abortions performed and the considerable impact they were having on women’s health. The
number of abortions performed in the maternal and child health programme increased eightfold between 1978
and 1984. The Government subsequently enacted abortion legislation on 31 December 1986, which allows
abortion on request during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. The only prerequisites are the woman’s consent
to the abortion and the performance of the abortion in a hospital, with “medical assistance”. After the first
trimester, abortion is permitted only if continuance of the pregnancy poses a risk of death or of serious and
permanent injury to her health, both physical and mental; to prevent the probable transmission to the foetus of
a serious hereditary or contagious illness; or in order to prevent the newborn from suffering from serious
physical defects or mental disturbances.
Compared with other countries in the region, health services in Cape Verde have greater coverage and are
of higher quality. Family planning is provided as part of the Government’s maternal and child health
programme. Although services have been provided in some government centres since 1978 and are offered
free of charge, not all islands have access to the services.
Source: The Population Policy Data Bank maintained by the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the
United Nations Secretariat. For additional sources, see list of references.
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