The Directorate-General for Health (Direção-Geral da Saúde or DGS) reported that 44.2% of pregnancy terminations in 2025 involved foreign nationals. While the total number of procedures remained stable at approximately 18,869, the DGS highlighted the need for better support to address linguistic and cultural barriers in accessing healthcare.
Foreign women account for 44% of pregnancy terminations in 2025
Monday, 28 September 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
The DGS (Direção-Geral da Saúde) is Portugal's central public health authority, responsible for setting health policy guidelines, managing vaccination programs, disease surveillance, and public health campaigns. It operates under the Ministry of Health.
The DGS issues clinical guidelines (normas) that health professionals across Portugal follow, manages the national vaccination schedule, coordinates responses to disease outbreaks, and publishes health statistics. It became widely known during the COVID-19 pandemic as the lead agency for public health guidance.
For residents, the DGS is the authoritative source for vaccination schedules, health alerts, and clinical guidance. Its recommendations shape how hospitals and health centers deliver care across the country.
4 sources
- Almost half of abortions by choice in Portugal are performed on foreign womensol.iol.pt ·
- Four in ten pregnancy terminations were performed on foreign women, DGS revealsdn.pt ·
- Four in every ten pregnancy terminations performed on foreign womenrtp.pt ·
- 44% of pregnancy terminations were by foreign nationalsobservador.pt ·
