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Regulatory focus
The Ministry’s vision for abortion services is to ensure accessible, equitable, and quality abortion services across Aotearoa New Zealand. This includes providing services that meet the needs of rangatahi, Māori, Pacific peoples, Rainbow and disabled communities, and those living in areas of the highest deprivation (as groups experiencing the greatest inequity of access).
The passing of the Abortion Legislation Act 2020, and the subsequent decriminalisation of abortion in Aotearoa, provided an opportunity to address inequity of access. For more information, see the Abortion Legislation Act 2020 on the New Zealand Legislation website.
Statutory obligations
The legislation contains several statutory obligations for the Ministry of Health that are being addressed. These include:
- ensuring that pregnant individuals can self-refer to abortion services
- taking reasonable steps to ensure that abortion and related counselling services are available throughout New Zealand
- periodically reviewing whether there is timely and equitable access to abortion services and related counselling services and making any recommendations necessary to improve timely and equitable access
- compiling and making available a list of the names and contact details of abortion service providers in New Zealand, if they have no objection
- publishing information about abortion services and related counselling services.
The Ministry is also required to collect and report on provision of abortion services and is responsible for establishing and monitoring Safe Areas.
Find more information about abortion reporting.
Periodic review focus areas
The Ministry of Health completes annual reports on abortion services, as well as periodic reviews every five years. These reports enable insight on whether there is timely and equitable access to services listed in the Act.
The first periodic review of the Act (completed in March 2025) identified priority areas that will guide the Ministry’s work for the next 5 years. These are:
- data collection and reporting
- monitoring for quality, timely, accessible and equitable service delivery
- information for health practitioners and the public
- review of Safe Areas.
Data collection and reporting
The Ministry collects and analyses abortion data to understand and report on the current state and trends of abortion services across Aotearoa New Zealand. This helps highlight how timely, accessible, and equitable services are being provided across different areas, and whether there are gaps in service provision. The Ministry will continue to work with providers to ensure that the quality of abortion reporting is of a high standard.
Reporting by health practitioners is essential to this work. For more information, see Abortion reporting.
Monitoring for quality, timely, accessible, and equitable service delivery
Supporting timely access to abortion services – regardless of location and gestation – is a key priority for the Ministry of Health. The Ministry monitors Health New Zealand to ensure accessibility and delivery of quality abortion services.
Support for health practitioners to provide equitable and culturally safe abortion and counselling services is available via the New Zealand Aotearoa Abortion Clinical Guideline and the Standard for Abortion Counselling Aotearoa New Zealand. Ngā Paerewa also contains guidance for abortion providers which have a strong focus on consumer rights and culturally safe services. Find more information on Ngā Paerewa.
Further information can also be found on Health New Zealand’s website: Abortion services.
Information for health practitioners and the public
It is important that people have access to fact-based information about abortion. The Ministry will continue to monitor for misinformation and take steps to reduce harm to health practitioners and the public where necessary.
Review of Safe Areas
Abortion Safe Areas in Aotearoa New Zealand protect the safety, wellbeing and privacy of people accessing or providing abortion services. Safe Areas are reviewed every five years to determine whether they are still fit for purpose. The first review of Safe Areas is due in 2028.
Regulating for equity
The Ministry regulates and monitors equitable access to abortion services through abortion service reporting. Health New Zealand is responsible for abortion service provision and equitable service access.
