Is abortion illegal in Cayman?

| 09/08/2017

I’m writing to you as I wanted to know where Cayman stands on abortions. I assume it’s illegal as I couldn’t find much information on it but I just wanted to clarify. I’ve had my little pregnancy scares before and I know others could benefit from the information you could find and provide us with.


Auntie’s answer: Your assumption is correct. The information you are looking for can be found in the Penal Code (2017 Revision). Sections 141-143 deal with offences related to abortion, which I will summarise for you.

Under the first section, “Attempts to procure abortion”, the code says, “A person who with intent to procure the miscarriage of a woman, whether she is or is not with child, unlawfully administers to her any poison or other noxious thing, or uses any force of any kind, or other means whatsoever to that purpose commits an offence.”

However, it will not be considered an offence if it was done “for the purpose only of preserving the life of the mother”.

Section 142, “Attempt by woman with child to procure abortion” specifies that any pregnant woman who tries to get an abortion or attempts to do something to herself to cause an abortion commits an offence.

The last relevant section is 143, “Supplying drugs or instruments to procure abortion” which stipulates, “A person who unlawfully procures for or supplies to any person any thing whatsoever, knowing that it is intended to be unlawfully used to procure the miscarriage of a woman, whether she is or is not with child, commits an offence.”

The document mentioned in this column can be found on the CNS Library

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Category: Ask Auntie, Legal Questions

Comments (38)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    You should’nt have sex before marriage buttttt a lot of us do and we really, really enjoy it too.

  2. She says:

    If I want to kill my Fetus who are you to stand in the way? It is my body.

    • Anonymous says:

      It is your body till a heartbeat is formed in it then it is another whole new human being that needs to be considered. If you don’t want a baby then don’t have sex! If you do then take the consequences. If you steal or murder you go to jail as a consequence of that action. If you abort a baby you will pay those consequences in the life after this one and this life is just fleeting but eternal life is forever. So what do you value more? An easy worldly life or a rewarding eternal life by doing what is right.

      • Anonymous says:

        Do you want to be the one to take care of the child? Including mental physically and emotional health as well as providing a safe environment and education for it?

  3. AlanP says:

    “The morning-after pill is not to be confused with a medical abortion-inducing pill since it prevents, rather than terminates, a pregnancy.

    In the Cayman Islands, depending on the pharmacy and the pharmacist on duty, the distribution procedures for emergency contraception varies significantly.

    In most pharmacies around the island, minors are able to buy the morning-after pill without parental permission and without a prescription. But, while some pharmacists follow age limits of 18 or 16, others claim to base their distribution on professional discretion.

    “The emergency contraceptive pill, known as the morning-after pill or Plan-B, is sold at the judgment of the pharmacist on duty at any given location,” confirmed Mr. Scotland.”

  4. Anonymous says:

    I cannot believe this question is been asked. Abortion should be illegal everywhere. It should not even be debatable. Lets talk about the basic human right of a baby to live and have the choice to live. It is hurting the most vulnerable of our human rights to see abortion as a way out of a bad situation. Have integrity and don’t put yourself in that situation in the first place. God will punish you severely for this sin, which is breaking the 6th commandment of ‘DO NOT KILL’. God help you, you poor lost soul!

    • AlanP says:

      MYOB I say

    • Anonymous says:

      Really? Not up for debate? What if she was raped and got pregnant from it. You gonna make her have her rapists baby? What about someone who is too young or poor to support the child properly. You are the one who is ignorant.

      Children need to be taught about contraceptives when they are young and know about the proper use. A big part of the problem is poor sex education in schools not abortion.

      • Anonymouse says:

        It is you who is ignorant. There are plenty of families desperate to have a baby. If a person is raped or doesn’t want the child, correct have the baby and give it up. That child is a child of God. You don’t have the right to abort it. God makes good from evil. That child deserves a chance to live. If it has a heartbeat it has a purpose, God has a divine plan for everyone. Your ignorance of this doesn’t entitle you to remove another human being from this world. What arrogance and ignorance. As for proper sex education? How about teaching your children to wait for marriage and a proper and good spouse. Your body also is God’s temple, so don’t hand it over to just anyone. Sex also produces soul ties to the other person and you get handed over all their demons and evils. Sex is reserved for marriage and to produce children, period. Teach that to your kids! Self esteem and seeing your worth takes precedence over sex and then crying when you pregnant and then aborting a child. Think of the woman who is struggling to have a child. It is sick and you should be ashamed to say abortion is ok or even that kids should be educated in contraception and sex. Don’t do it till you married and if a baby occurs it is not a problem. In rape, give the child up for adoption. A baby is innocent and won’t turn out to be a rapist if they raised correctly and loves God. Shame on you for saying that too. Children and babies and our unborn are innocents. They deserve life. They have the human right to this. No one has the right to take it away from them. That is as most basic as it gets, the choice to breathe.

    • Anonymous says:

      What about the commandment to not commit adultery or fornication. You cannot pick and choose your commandments…a sin is a sin.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Abortion is MURDER. “Thou shalt not kill.”

    Libtard rationalised reasoning notwithstanding…

    Don’t want a baby, don’t make one! Quite simple really, even for the simple-minded. It is not an “accident” or a “choice,” it is a CHILD!

    • Anonymous says:

      what about if someone is raped

      they are supposed to have the kid always wondering if the kid will grow up to be a rapist? reminded every time they look at the kid about the time they were raped

      In a perfect world children would be born into loving family’s

      Wake up the world is not perfect, Your God allows these horrors ……… what a horrible god.

      • get real! says:

        The number of births due to rape are very low . In fact in the u.s this number is 1% of total abortions.

        Here is a flip to your coin since we playing emotional merry go round- tell me about the regret for taking the life of a child . I have a female friend who after a year still regrets her decision. Is this legitimate ? And are you saying you rather take a life than give one a chance.

        Is it my business- perhaps not. But if you argue that my tax dollar has to go towards this then NO you do not get to murder on my dollar.

        World not being perfect has nothing to do with MURDERING unwanted children. I am sure CNS will block this comment but I must say – SOME women are losing touch with their humanity. A fair point when we look at how many are using abortion as a contraceptive .

        VERY SAD

        CNS: For the record, I usually delete comments that include asides like “I’m sure CNS will block this comment” or “I dare CNS to post this comment” or some such because it’s annoying, so my advice would be to leave it out next time. There’s no other reason to delete this comment.

    • Lover of Law abiding ones says:

      also wearing clothes from different materials, stop by and we will stone you to death… cave people.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Ah Cayman, still in the dark ages…

    • violated says:

      Dark ages? If having a concience, morality, respect for life and decency is concieved to be dark ages mentality, then I wonder where you would set the limit. What dark recess did you slither out of.

  7. Anonymous says:

    All Caymanians (who are also British Citizens) have access to abortions if they go the UK. As British Citizens they can land and remain the UK and get an abortion there.

    • AlanP says:

      A bit expensive don’t you think? Morning after pills are available in CI, no prescription needed.

      • Anonymous says:

        Where?

        • AlanP says:

          Go to any pharmacy and ask. They would give it to you if you are over 18.

        • AlanP says:

          Common brands: Plan B One-Step, Next Choice One Dose, Aftera, ella, EContra Ez, After Pill, My Way, Take Action
          I know that CT hospital pharmacy has it and the one on Walkers Road. But pretty sure every pharmacy carry it.

          • Unseen Caymanian says:

            This is a old thread, but can guys buy it without any problems?, lets say if your girlfriend is nervous about buying it herself?

        • Anonymous says:

          at any pharmacy

    • Anonymous says:

      Miami is closer and less expensive.

    • Anonymous says:

      A great many Caymanians are not British citizens. Stop making stuff up.

  8. Anonymous says:

    I have an answer for your “little” pregnancy scares.. USE BIRTH CONTROL!!!!
    (I genuinely can’t even believe a woman wrote this with that term)

    • Anonymous says:

      what about when a girl is raped or the baby has a terrible condition pickup up on early scans.

      Also
      Abortion should be legal, it’s far worse to abort an early pregnancy than bring an unwanted child into thes world.

    • Anonymous says:

      I asked this question because its a reality all girls may face if they are sexually active, even if on the pill and their period is late, they can’t help but to wonder why. I was on birth control for many years and ultimately it gave me a stomach ulcer as I also had prescription medication for migraines that had to be taken everyday. And also, as a rape victim, I have had one GREAT scare since I was off the pill when it happened. I believe everyone is entitled to their own opinions just like everyone has the choice to do what they want with their body (be it body modifications, plastic surgery or whatever the case may be). If a person feels that they financially, physically, or mentally cannot provide for a child then they should have the choice to abort (not saying Cayman needs to make it legal). If they are thinking about the world that child may be brought into and they know that there would be a great deal of suffering for both mother and child, then they should have a choice. Getting pregnant because of an hour of pleasure is something we don’t think about in the moment, things happen and we should have the choice as its OUR life.

  9. get real says:

    So you are using abortion as a contraceptive ?

  10. Anonymous says:

    Can HSA confirm how many abortions they have done todate to save a mothers life ?

    Or does the Govt Hospital send such cases to Miami?

    FOI request time…

    • Anonymous says:

      Who cares to know how many abortions done by HSA…stop and respect private life of women…it is not your business

      • Anonymous says:

        Would you rather the patient died enroute to Miami because HSA refuses abortions?

  11. Anonymous says:

    Birth control and planned pregnancy are basic human rights. After conception, these rights vary from country to country and even by state/province, county/district, and municipality. Men and women need to accept this heavy responsibility BEFORE conjoining their reproductive parts! If you’re experiencing “scares” it means you’re doing it wrong.

  12. Anonymous says:

    While it reality, it should be encouraged.

    • Anonymous says:

      Seriously? Encourage to kill an innocent child who’s basic human right to live is removed. Where are the human rights in that? Targeting and abusing our most fragile and vulnerable human in infancy and you call that your right. Shame on you. I hope you tremble in your shoes to face God with the consequences of those choices.

      • Anonymous says:

        Are you willing to take care of the unwanted child when its born? human right to live maybe, but what kind of life will this poor motherless child have?

        • Anonymous says:

          Are you for real. You don’t want the baby fine. There are millions of childless families who are praying for a baby everyday. So give the child up. In the case of rape, in the case of a disability, there are good people in the world who will love and adopt the innocent. It is evil people like you who think they are God and have a right to kill a baby as it doesn’t suit you. What evil has this world come to. Every child is a child of God no matter how they were formed. If they have a heart beat they have a purpose and it is not up to you to know what that highest plan is. All is in Gods hands. He makes good from bad so let Him do His work and get out the way!