Women in Hungary will listen to baby’s heartbeat before abortion, under new legislation

From today, women seeking an abortion in Hungary will listen to their baby’s heartbeat before they proceed with having an abortion as a new amendment comes into effect.

On Monday this week, an amendment supported by the country’s interior minister, Pintér Sándor, was passed, which requires doctors to record that the pregnant woman was presented “with the factor indicating the functioning vital functions in a clearly identifiable manner”. 

Politician Dora Duro welcomed the decree, calling it a step towards “protecting all fetuses from conception” and said it was a “chance for life” on her Facebook page.

A spokesperson for Amnesty International, Aron Demeter, said this move was “a worrying step back”.

In 2012, Hungary adopted a new constitution that said “the life of the fetus is protected from conception”, though it stopped short of outlawing abortion.

In 2019, Hungarian Prime Minister, Victor Orban, announced that women with four children would be exempt from paying income tax for life.

This is a good amendment that will hopefully reduce the number of abortions in Hungary.

Listening to a baby’s heartbeat makes the full humanity of the unborn baby clear for all to hear.

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