Yes, abortion is legal in New Hampshire through 24 weeks of pregnancy, measured from the first day of your last menstrual period. After 24 weeks, it is allowed only when the pregnancy threatens your life or risks substantial, irreversible impairment of a major bodily function, or when the fetus has a diagnosis incompatible with life. There is no mandatory waiting period, and the reason you are seeking an abortion is not something the state asks about before the 24-week mark.
How the 24-Week Limit Works
The rules sit in RSA Chapter 132, which defines abortion as the intentional termination of a known pregnancy by any instrument, medication, or device. Procedures to increase the chance of a live birth, preserve a child’s life after delivery, or remove an ectopic pregnancy or the products of a miscarriage are not covered by the ban.1New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Revised Statutes Section 132:32 – Definitions
Gestational age is counted from the first day of your last menstrual period, not from conception. If your provider thinks the pregnancy may be near 24 weeks, an ultrasound is required to confirm gestational age before the procedure can go forward. Unlike many states, New Hampshire does not require a waiting period between consultation and the procedure.
Exceptions After 24 Weeks
Two situations allow an abortion past 24 weeks. One is when continuing the pregnancy would endanger your life or create a serious risk of substantial, irreversible impairment of a major bodily function. The other is when the fetus has been diagnosed with an anomaly incompatible with life.
New Hampshire law does not include a separate exception for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. Before 24 weeks that gap has no practical effect, because the reason for the abortion is not something the state weighs. It only matters if you are seeking a procedure after the gestational cutoff.
If You Are Under 18
A provider cannot perform an abortion on an unemancipated minor until at least 48 hours after a parent, guardian, or conservator has been notified in writing.2New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Revised Statutes Section 132:33 – Notification Required This is notification only. Your parent does not have to agree to the procedure; they only have to be told.
If telling a parent is not safe or feasible, you can petition a court for a judicial bypass. A judge will authorize the abortion without notification if you are found mature enough to give informed consent, or if the abortion is determined to be in your best interest. The court has to rule within two business days, and if it does not act within that window and you did not ask for an extension, your petition is automatically granted. The case is confidential, there are no filing fees, and courts must be available around the clock to hear these petitions.3New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Revised Statutes Section 132:34 – Waiver of Notice
Medication Abortion by Mail
Medication abortion using mifepristone and misoprostol is available in New Hampshire, and the state has not layered additional restrictions on top of federal rules. Under the FDA’s current risk-management framework, updated in 2023, the drug can be prescribed by telehealth and shipped by mail. Prescribers must be certified through one of the two authorized distributors, and you will need to sign a patient agreement form before it is dispensed.
Nationally, medication abortion runs roughly $150 to $400 through telehealth services and $400 to $800 at in-person clinics. What you actually pay depends on the provider, your insurance, and whether an abortion fund is helping cover costs.
What Insurance Covers
New Hampshire has no state law forcing private insurance plans to cover abortion, and no state law forbidding them from doing so. Coverage depends on your specific policy, whether it is employer-sponsored or bought on the individual market.
Medicaid is narrower. Under the federal Hyde Amendment, renewed annually since 1977, federal Medicaid funds can only pay for an abortion in cases of rape, incest, or a life-endangering pregnancy. New Hampshire does not spend its own state funds to widen that. If you are on Medicaid and none of the Hyde categories fits your situation, you will likely be paying out of pocket unless an abortion fund can help.
Your Privacy
Medical records tied to abortion are protected by the federal HIPAA Privacy Rule, which requires clinics, hospitals, and insurance plans to safeguard your health information and limit when they can disclose it.4U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. HIPAA Privacy Rule and Disclosures of Information Relating to Reproductive Health Care
New Hampshire adds its own layer. Article 2-b of the state’s Bill of Rights, adopted in 2018, recognizes the right to live free from governmental intrusion into private or personal information.5New Hampshire Constitution. The Constitution of New Hampshire Part First Bill of Rights It is broader than abortion, but it reinforces the privacy that surrounds reproductive care.
Your Job
Federal law protects you from being fired or otherwise punished for having an abortion. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which amended Title VII of the Civil Rights Act in 1978, made that explicit: no employer may fire or refuse to hire a woman because she exercised her right to have an abortion.6Federal Register. Implementation of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which took effect in 2023, adds a right to reasonable accommodations from employers with 15 or more employees for conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. The EEOC has confirmed that abortion falls within that definition, so you can request time off for an appointment or recovery without retaliation. The same law protects you if you choose to continue a pregnancy, so an employer cannot penalize you for either decision.6Federal Register. Implementation of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
If You Are Traveling from a State With a Ban
One boundary worth knowing. As of early 2026, New Hampshire is the only New England state without a shield law protecting abortion providers who treat patients traveling from states with stricter bans. The New Hampshire Senate rejected a shield law proposal in March 2026. No New Hampshire provider has faced an enforcement action from another state to date, but the legal terrain here is less protected than in Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, Connecticut, or Rhode Island, and that is useful context if you are crossing state lines for care.