Until the Reproductive Healthcare Reform bill is passed, New South Wales remains the only Australian state or territory that has not modernised its abortion laws.
The historic bill, which passed the lower house earlier this month and is currently being examined in the upper house, is set to decriminalise abortion in NSW.
Although changes may still be made, the new bill states women are allowed terminations up to 22 weeks of pregnancy. After 22 weeks, abortions will be allowed with the approval of two doctors, one of which must be a specialist obstetrician or gynaecologist.
But for the 119 years that ‘unlawful’ abortion has been a criminal offence in NSW, women have suffered the consequences.
In the past 25 years, 12 people have been prosecuted under the NSW Crimes Act 1900 for abortion-related offences according to SBS. Four were found guilty and sentenced.
Most recently in 2017, a mother-of-five was prosecuted for self-administering an abortion drug.
What you need to know about abortion in Australia. Post continues after video.
The 28-year-old Sydney woman, who had five children between the ages of four and nine, was encouraged by her boyfriend of three years to terminate the pregnancy when the foetus was 19 weeks.
She did not act at the time and continued to attend her medical check-ups. At 26 weeks pregnant, her boyfriend again pushed for her to have an abortion.