New Zealand's parliament decriminalized abortion on Wednesday, with members voting 68 to 51 in favor of reforming the country's 1977 abortion legislation. The new law is expected to be signed by the nation’s governor general, EDNews reports citing Deutsche Welle.
"For over 40 years abortion has been the only medical procedure considered a crime in New Zealand," Justice Minister Andrew Little said in statement. "But from now abortions will be rightly treated as a health issue."
Under the 1977 law, an abortion was considered a crime, except when two doctors certified that continuing a woman's pregnancy would result in danger to her mental or physical health.
If found guilty of unlawfully terminating a pregnancy, a woman could face a jail term of up to 14 years.