Termination of Pregnancy/Abortion in France

Share | Print

Termination of Pregnancy/Abortion in France

The French family planning organisation (Planning Familial) is responsible for providing information on contraception, abortion (avortement), sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS (SIDA). The website (in French) is comprehensive and provides information relevant to all regions of France: Planning Familial website 

Termination of pregnancy (IVG) is legal in France up to 12-weeks after conception. There is one week period of compulsory "reflection" prior to termination, except in an urgent case where this can be reduced to two days. 

Minors (girls under 18) and unmarried women must meet with a counsellor during the week prior to the process and in the days immediately after.

Minors do not need parental consent, however they must be accompanied by and adult (person over 18 years) throughout the procedure. Single women do not need to provide the agreement of the partner. A non-resident visitor to France may legally have a pregnancy terminated while in France.

Abortion pill

The abortion pill, RU486, is available in France and given until up to five weeks after conception. It is a non surgical method for ending a pregnancy in the early stages. It can be obtained from family planning centres or from gynaecologists.

Further Information

Contact information for the hospitals and clinics that have complete pregnancy termination facilities can be found on this page of the Planning Familial website

National family planning and information centres on termination, no guarantee English is spoken:

• Regional information helpline IVG Centre Monday to Friday 12:00-18:00: Tel: 0825 079 072
• Helpline (in French) for questions about abortion and contraception. Tel: 0800 105 105
• Alsace regional helpline for questions about abortion
  • Tel: 03 88 32 28 28 Monday to Friday from 09:00-12 :00
  • Tel: 03 89 42 42 12 Monday to Friday from 17 :00-20 :00

Family Planning Clinics in the French Alps

Regional helpline for questions about abortion: 

• Tel: 04 78 89 50 61 or 0810 810 714 Monday to Friday from 12:00-18:00

Isère (38)

• At: 30 bd Gambetta, 38000 Grenoble
  Tel: 04 76 87 94 61
  Fax: 04 76 87 72 70
  e-mail
  Website
  Open: Monday to Friday from 09:00-19:00, Saturday 09:00-12:00, closed Tuesday mornings
• At: 2 rue du 19 mars 1962, Immeuble Le Fié, 38120 Saint Egrève
  Tel: 04 76 75 33 04
  Fax: 04 76 75 43 22
  e-mail
  Open: Tuesday, Wednesday 09:00-12:00 and 13:00-19:00, Thursday 13:00-19:00, Friday 13:00-17:30
• At: Immeuble le Sileur, Place A. Schweitzer, 38300 Bourgoin-Jallieu
  Tel: 04 74 28 30 22
  Fax: 04 74 28 88 48
  e-mail
  Open: Monday 09:00-12:00 and 13:30-16:30, Tuesday, Thursday 08:30-12:00 and 13:30-18:00, Wednesday 09:00-12:00 and 13:30-17:00, Friday 08:30-12:00 and 15:00-18:00.
• At: Centre Simone Signoret, Place Léon Blum, 38091 Villefontaine
  Tel: 04 74 96 78 99
  Fax: 04 74 96 78 99
  e-mail
  Open: Tuesday from 10:00-17:00, Wednesday 14:00-17:00, Thursday 09:00-17:00, Friday 09:00-18:00.

Haute-Savoie (74)

• At: Salle Charles Coppier, Quai des Clarisses, 74000 Annecy
  Tel: 04 50 81 16 19
  Open: At Annecy Hospital, Monday to Thursday from 16:30 onwards.
• At: 12 boulevard Georges Andrier, 74200 Thonon les Bains
  Tel: 04 50 81 16 19