En stärkt aborträtt? – En rättslig analys av livsduglighetsbegreppet i dagens abortlagstiftning – Vilka fördelar och nackdelar finns med en grundlagsskyddad aborträtt?
(2023) JURM02 20232Department of Law
Faculty of Law
- Abstract
- The subject of abortion has long been a controversial issue consisting of diffi-cult legal and ethical questions. In 2021, Poland introduced new restrictive laws which severely restricts women’s right to abortion. The verdict from the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson in 2022 overturned the verdict of Roe v. Jackson from 1973 which ensured a right to abortion through the constitution. These events made the Swedish government appoint a committee to evaluate the possibility of introducing a right to abor-tion in the constitution.
The right to abortion in Sweden is secured through the abortion law. The abortion law statutes a right to abortion until the 18th week of pregnancy. Af-ter that permission is... (More) - The subject of abortion has long been a controversial issue consisting of diffi-cult legal and ethical questions. In 2021, Poland introduced new restrictive laws which severely restricts women’s right to abortion. The verdict from the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson in 2022 overturned the verdict of Roe v. Jackson from 1973 which ensured a right to abortion through the constitution. These events made the Swedish government appoint a committee to evaluate the possibility of introducing a right to abor-tion in the constitution.
The right to abortion in Sweden is secured through the abortion law. The abortion law statutes a right to abortion until the 18th week of pregnancy. Af-ter that permission is required from the Judicial Council whose practices al-lows late abortions up to the 22nd week of pregnancy if there are special rea-sons. A right to reproductive health, which often is considered to include abortion, is stipulated in several international conventions to which Sweden is a party.
The overall purpose of the essay is to analyze and discuss the government’s proposal to introduce a right to abortion in the constitution. Furthermore, the concept of viability in the abortion law will be addressed. To achieve the pur-pose of this essay I will use the legal analytical method. The legal analytical method allows a broad analysis and the use of sources beyond the traditional legal sources.
The concept of viability in the abortion law is problematic because the concept regulates the time limit for late abortions. According to the preparatory work, the concept of viability should be interpreted based on the medical conditions that exist to save extremely premature babies to life. The limit for late abor-tions may be narrowed in the future as medical-technical developments make it possible to save fetuses earlier in the pregnancy. This fact risks restricting women’s right to abortion in the future.
It does not appear to be straightforward introducing a right to abortion in the constitution. Furthermore, it is not possible to say with any certainty that it would lead to an increased protection of the right to abortion in Sweden. There is a risk that the proposal might result in a more restrictive right to abor-tion or that there will be no difference compared to today. (Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- Abort har länge varit en kontroversiell fråga med svåra juridiska och etiska gränsdragningar. År 2021 införde Polen lagar som kraftigt begränsade kvinnors rätt till abort. Genom det uppmärksammade fallet Dobbs v. Jackson år 2022 togs den konstitutionellt skyddade aborträtten bort i USA. Dessa händelser ledde till att Sveriges regering år 2023 tillsatte en utredning gällande möjligheten att införa en grundlagsskyddad rätt till abort i regeringsformen.
Idag skyddas aborträtten i Sverige främst genom abortlagen. I lagen stadgas en rätt till abort fram till vecka 18+0. Därefter krävs tillstånd från Rättsliga rådet vars praxis tillåter sena aborter fram till vecka 22+0 om det föreligger synnerliga skäl. Vidare stadgas en rätt till reproduktiv... (More) - Abort har länge varit en kontroversiell fråga med svåra juridiska och etiska gränsdragningar. År 2021 införde Polen lagar som kraftigt begränsade kvinnors rätt till abort. Genom det uppmärksammade fallet Dobbs v. Jackson år 2022 togs den konstitutionellt skyddade aborträtten bort i USA. Dessa händelser ledde till att Sveriges regering år 2023 tillsatte en utredning gällande möjligheten att införa en grundlagsskyddad rätt till abort i regeringsformen.
Idag skyddas aborträtten i Sverige främst genom abortlagen. I lagen stadgas en rätt till abort fram till vecka 18+0. Därefter krävs tillstånd från Rättsliga rådet vars praxis tillåter sena aborter fram till vecka 22+0 om det föreligger synnerliga skäl. Vidare stadgas en rätt till reproduktiv hälsa, som ofta anses omfatta abort, i flera internationella konventioner som Sverige är part till.
Uppsatsens övergripande syfte är att diskutera och problematisera regeringens förslag om att införa aborträtten i grundlagen. Vidare kommer abortlagens livsduglighetsbegrepp att behandlas. För att uppnå syftet med uppsatsen har jag använt mig av rättsanalytisk metod eftersom den tillåter en bred analys av rätten och möjliggör användning av källor utöver de traditionella rättskällorna.
Livsduglighetsbegreppet i abortlagen är problematiskt utifrån det faktum att begreppet reglerar tidsgränsen för sen abort. Enligt förarbeten till abortlagen ska livsduglighetsbegreppet tolkas utifrån de medicinska förutsättningar som finns att rädda extremt för tidigt födda barn till liv. Det innebär att gränsen för sena aborter kan komma att inskränkas i takt med att den medicin-tekniska utvecklingen gör det möjligt att rädda foster allt tidigare i graviditeten. Det riskerar i sin tur att inskränka kvinnors rätt till abort i framtiden.
Det framstår som komplicerat att införa en rätt till abort i grundlagen. Vidare går det inte att med säkerhet säga att det skulle medföra ett ökat skydd för ab-orträtten i Sverige. Det går inte heller att säkerställa att skyddet för aborträtten inte kommer att inskränkas genom regeringens förslag. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9142825
- author
- Linder, Josefine LU
- supervisor
- organization
- alternative title
- A strengthened abortion right? – A legal analysis of the concept of viability in today's abortion legislation - What are the advantages and disadvantages of a constitutionally protected person abortion right?
- course
- JURM02 20232
- year
- 2023
- type
- H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
- subject
- keywords
- socialrätt, social and welfare law, rättsvetenskap, law, medicinsk rätt, health law, abort, abortion
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 9142825
- date added to LUP
- 2024-01-24 12:36:03
- date last changed
- 2024-01-24 12:36:03
@misc{9142825,
abstract = {{The subject of abortion has long been a controversial issue consisting of diffi-cult legal and ethical questions. In 2021, Poland introduced new restrictive laws which severely restricts women’s right to abortion. The verdict from the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson in 2022 overturned the verdict of Roe v. Jackson from 1973 which ensured a right to abortion through the constitution. These events made the Swedish government appoint a committee to evaluate the possibility of introducing a right to abor-tion in the constitution.
The right to abortion in Sweden is secured through the abortion law. The abortion law statutes a right to abortion until the 18th week of pregnancy. Af-ter that permission is required from the Judicial Council whose practices al-lows late abortions up to the 22nd week of pregnancy if there are special rea-sons. A right to reproductive health, which often is considered to include abortion, is stipulated in several international conventions to which Sweden is a party.
The overall purpose of the essay is to analyze and discuss the government’s proposal to introduce a right to abortion in the constitution. Furthermore, the concept of viability in the abortion law will be addressed. To achieve the pur-pose of this essay I will use the legal analytical method. The legal analytical method allows a broad analysis and the use of sources beyond the traditional legal sources.
The concept of viability in the abortion law is problematic because the concept regulates the time limit for late abortions. According to the preparatory work, the concept of viability should be interpreted based on the medical conditions that exist to save extremely premature babies to life. The limit for late abor-tions may be narrowed in the future as medical-technical developments make it possible to save fetuses earlier in the pregnancy. This fact risks restricting women’s right to abortion in the future.
It does not appear to be straightforward introducing a right to abortion in the constitution. Furthermore, it is not possible to say with any certainty that it would lead to an increased protection of the right to abortion in Sweden. There is a risk that the proposal might result in a more restrictive right to abor-tion or that there will be no difference compared to today.}},
author = {{Linder, Josefine}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{En stärkt aborträtt? – En rättslig analys av livsduglighetsbegreppet i dagens abortlagstiftning – Vilka fördelar och nackdelar finns med en grundlagsskyddad aborträtt?}},
year = {{2023}},
}