Abortion is available at no cost for all people who live in the ACT with a pregnancy under 16 weeks gestation. Both types of abortion (medication and surgical) are provided for free. You will need to go to particular clinics, doctors and services. You can see the list of services and GPs providing abortion at no cost below.
You can have an abortion at no cost even if you are an international student or on a temporary visa. You do not need to have a Medicare card.
You may need to show some proof that you live in the ACT, for example, a Drivers Licence or a recent bill with your name on it showing your ACT address.
Any medication, ultrasounds and tests you need are also available at no cost from selected services.
If you have a free abortion under 16 weeks gestation, and if you wish to, you can also choose to have some types of contraception inserted after having an abortion at no additional cost.
This includes intra-uterine devices (often known as the IUD, Mirena, Kyleena, or Copper T) and contraceptive implants (often known as the rod, or Implanon). These methods are sometimes called long-acting reversible contraception, which are types of contraception which do not need to be used, changed or applied more than once a cycle or month.
You do not have to have an IUD or contraceptive implant inserted unless you wish to.
GPs and services providing free abortion will be able to provide you with an IUD or contraceptive implant.
No cost abortion up to 16 weeks gestation and post-abortion contraception for ACT residents is funded by the ACT Government. Some of these services are part of the ACT Reproductive Health Data Incentive Fund, which is managed by Women’s Health Matters.
Pregnancy options counselling
Read more »Central
Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT
Services:
- Non-directive, non-judgemental, all options pregnancy counselling to support you to make a decision
- Post-abortion counselling
Phone: 6247 3077
Location: Level 1, 28 University Avenue, Canberra City 2601
More information here.
General practitioners and abortion clinics
Read more »Central
MSI Australia
Services:
- Early medication abortion until 9 weeks gestation
- Surgical abortion until 16 weeks gestation
- Long-acting reversible contraception
- Tests, scans and medication provided in-clinic
- Support counselling
Phone: 1300 003 707
Website and online booking: https://www.msiaustralia.org.au/
Location: 1 Moore St, Canberra City ACT 2601
Watson General Practice
Services:
- Early medication abortion until 9 weeks gestation
- Long-acting reversible contraception
- Your doctor can provide you with request forms and referrals for tests and scans you may need. You may need to pay a fee for scans.
- Your doctor can provide you with prescriptions for medications you may need. One of the pharmacies listed below can fill these at no cost to you.
Phone: 02 6248 7005
*Please call the practice to make an appointment. You will need to explain that the appointment is for medical abortion.
Location: 34 Windeyer St, Watson ACT 2602
Tuggeranong
Canberra Family Planning
Services:
- Early medication abortion until 9 weeks gestation
- Long-acting reversible contraception
- Your doctor can provide you with request forms and referrals for tests and scans you may need. You may need to pay a fee for scans.
- Your doctor can provide you with prescriptions for medications you may need. One of the pharmacies listed below can fill these at no cost to you.
Phone: 02 6296 2266 (Erindale Healthcare)*
*Please call Erindale Healthcare and ask for an appointment with Dr Suntharalingam.
Online booking: https://web.easyvisit.com.au/booking/61/794 Please book a long appointment with Dr Suntharalingam (at Erindale Healthcare).
Location: 59 Comrie St (cnr McBryde Cres), Wanniassa ACT 2903
Pharmacies
Important! You need to have a valid prescription for abortion medication from a doctor to have the prescription filled at a pharmacy for no cost. Pharmacists cannot make or arrange for a prescription. You must make an appointment with a doctor who treats people seeking an abortion first. You can contact us if you need information about where to find a doctor.
Read more »Central
Capital Chemist Dickson
Services:
- No cost abortion medication prescriptions
Phone: 6248 7684
Location: Shops 2/6 Dickson Place, Dickson 2602
See opening hours here.
Belconnen
Capital Chemist Charnwood
Services:
- No cost abortion medication prescriptions
Phone: 6258 4949
Location: Shops 7&8 Charnwood Shopping Centre, Charnwood Pl, Charnwood 2615
See opening hours here.
Tuggeranong
Capital Chemist Wanniassa
Services:
- No cost abortion medication prescriptions
Phone: 6231 6446
Location: Wanniassa Shopping Centre, 12 Sangster Pl, Wanniassa 2903
See opening hours here.
Imaging services (for ultrasounds)
Important! You need to have a referral form for an ultrasound from a participating doctor at a service listed on this page to access an ultrasound at no cost. You must make an appointment with a participating doctor first. You can contact us if you need information about where to find a doctor.
Read more »I-Med Radiology Network
Services:
- No cost ultrasounds (with a referral form from a participating doctor)
See locations and opening hours here.
Pathology services (for blood tests)
Important! You need to have a request form for pathology tests from a participating doctor at a service listed on this page to access tests at no cost. You must make an appointment with a participating doctor first. You can contact us if you need information about where to find a doctor.
Read more »Capital Pathology
Services:
- No cost pathology tests (with a request form from a participating doctor)
See locations and opening hours here.
