- Abortion legal status
- Decriminalized or tolerated
- Emergency contraception
- Over the counter
- Emergency number
- 112
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: euronews.com, travelladies.app
Good to know
Good to Know
- The oral morning-after pill is sold over the counter at any Berlin pharmacy (Apotheke) without a prescription — you don't need an appointment, just walk in and ask.
- Pharmacies vary a lot in price and counselling quality for the morning-after pill, so it can be worth calling ahead or comparing a couple of pharmacies if you're not in a rush.
- If you want forensic evidence collected after an assault but haven't decided whether to report to police, the Gewaltschutzambulanz at Charité can document injuries confidentially and free of charge, keeping your options open.
- LARA and the national Hilfetelefon (116 016) both offer confidential, anonymous support in English and several other languages — you don't need to speak German to get help.
- All hormonal contraception (the pill, IUD, implant, injection) requires seeing a gynecologist (Frauenarzt) in Germany — you cannot get these without a doctor's visit, unlike in some other countries.
- As a non-German-insured nomad, expect to pay full out-of-pocket price for routine contraception since German statutory insurance subsidies mostly apply to residents under a certain age with local coverage.
- Even where legally exempt from punishment, abortion in Germany is still technically classified as illegal, and access is bureaucratic: you'll need a state-approved counselling certificate (Beratungsschein) and a mandatory three-day wait before the procedure.
- Berlin has the best abortion access of any German city, but many practices only perform the procedure on specific days each week, so book counselling as early as possible if you're on a time-sensitive timeline.
- Non-German speakers can get counselling certificates from pro familia Berlin or district family-planning centres, some of which offer partial service in English (and increasingly Russian/Ukrainian).
- For English-speaking gynecological care generally (not just abortion), Berlin has a decent number of English-fluent OBGYN practices concentrated in central-to-inner districts like Charlottenburg and Prenzlauer Berg — always confirm English proficiency and insurance/self-pay terms when booking, since policies vary practice to practice.
- If your situation falls outside the standard 12-week counselling route (e.g., later weeks of pregnancy without a medical/criminological indication), some people in Germany travel to the Netherlands, where the legal framework is different — this is a significant logistical and financial undertaking, not a simple local option.
Street, Night and Taxi Safety
Street Harassment
A 2020 survey of female residents across Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne and Munich by the NGO Plan International found that a quarter of women had experienced sexual harassment and a fifth had been followed, insulted or threatened while moving around their cities. Separately, travel-safety sources describe physical harassment in Berlin specifically as low, though catcalling or inappropriate comments from drunken groups at night is something some travelers report encountering, particularly around nightlife areas.
Walking Alone at Night — Generally Fine Areas
Central, well-policed and busy neighborhoods such as Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg and Charlottenburg are repeatedly described as comfortable for women walking alone at night, with good lighting and street activity even late in the evening. Berlin as a whole does not have official blanket 'no-go zones', and public transport is generally considered safe at all times.
Taxis and Ride-hailing
Guides aimed at women traveling in Germany recommend using taxi apps like FreeNow or Uber rather than hailing a cab off the street, and having a plan to get home safely arranged before a night out, since Berlin's club scene can run until early morning. Agreeing a price or insisting on the meter is also advised to avoid taxi overcharging.
Practical Precautions
Common advice for women in Berlin includes sticking to well-lit, populated streets rather than shortcuts through quiet alleys, not disclosing to strangers (including taxi drivers) that you are traveling or staying alone, keeping bags zipped and to the front on the U-Bahn and S-Bahn, and never leaving a drink unattended in bars or clubs. Letting someone know your plans when heading out late, and sitting near other passengers rather than in an empty train carriage, are also frequently repeated.
Abortion Law
- General Rule
- Abortion is regulated in the German Criminal Code (StGB, §218, §219), and is only exempt from punishment under very specific conditions: after mandatory counselling, or with a criminological or medical indication.
- Access Reality
- Berlin has the highest abortion rate in the country, at 108 per 10,000 women, nearly double the national average, and the northern city-states of Berlin and Bremen are well above the national average, reflecting comparatively better local access than in many other (especially southern, Catholic-influenced) parts of Germany. Nonetheless, a 2024 national ELSA study found that almost 60% of women surveyed had difficulty arranging the abortion, often due to the mandatory three-day wait and limited weekly procedure slots at individual practices.
- Legal Framework
- Abortion is regulated under Section 218 of the German Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch). Under this framework, abortion is technically a criminal act nationwide, but is exempted from punishment when specific legal conditions are met.
- Regulatory Status
- Decriminalized or tolerated
- Cross Border Option
- Some people in Germany, including in later or more complex situations, travel to neighbouring countries such as the Netherlands, particularly for later-stage terminations that would be effectively unavailable domestically.
- Telemedicine Option
- Some Berlin practices, such as Gyn-Praxis Nova in Prenzlauer Berg, offer telemedicine-supported medication abortion consultations as an access route, alongside apps like 'Medabb' (available in German, English, French, Spanish, Italian and Polish) that support people through a medically supervised at-home medication abortion.
- Medication Vs Surgical
- Abortion can be carried out using medication (commonly Mifegyne, a synthetic steroid inducing a miscarriage) or via surgical procedure. In Berlin, medication abortion was the most common method in 2024, used in 54% of cases; both approaches are considered similarly effective and most abortions do not lead to complications.
- Counseling And Certificate Process
- A government-approved counselling centre (Beratungsstelle) issues the Beratungsschein (counselling certificate) required before a procedure under the standard counselling regulation route; this can be obtained from pro familia Berlin or other state-recognised centres such as the Familienplanungszentrum BALANCE and district-run 'Zentrum für sexuelle Gesundheit und Familienplanung' offices.
- Penalties Note
- Even where exempt from punishment, the underlying act is still technically classified as illegal rather than affirmatively legal; violations outside the exempted conditions carry potential criminal penalties for the provider and, to a lesser degree, the pregnant person.
- Cost And Coverage Note
- For those on low income, the cost of an abortion under the counselling regulation can be covered by the statutory health insurer on application; otherwise the procedure is generally self-paid, while medical examinations before and after are covered by health insurance. Specific fee amounts are not published as fixed public pricing given the procedure's legal status.
- Recent Political Context
- A 2024 government-appointed independent commission recommended fully decriminalizing abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, and in November 2024 a majority of Bundestag members supported a draft law to remove Section 218 entirely, but the Legal Affairs Committee declined to advance the bill in February 2025, so the pre-existing legal framework remains in force as of this writing.
Abortion Time Limits And Routes
Counselling Regulation (Most Common, ~96% of Cases)
- Limit
- Up to the 12th week of pregnancy (end of 14th week since last menstrual period).
- Requirements
- Requires attending a state-recognised pregnancy conflict counselling session and receiving a counselling certificate (Beratungsschein). At least three full days of 'reflection time' must pass between counselling and the procedure, and the counselling and the procedure must be carried out by different people.
Criminological Indication (Pregnancy From Rape/sexual Assault)
- Limit
- Up to the 12th week of pregnancy.
- Requirements
- An abortion may be performed up to the 14th week of pregnancy if the pregnancy is the result of sexual abuse or rape; in this case abortion is not illegal, and prior counselling is not mandatory (though offered). No official criminal charges or proof are required to obtain this indication.
Medical Indication (Danger to Physical/mental Health)
- Limit
- No strict upper abortion time limit.
- Requirements
- If the pregnancy poses a danger to the life or physical/mental health of the pregnant person that cannot reasonably be averted another way, a doctor can issue a medical indication; this route remains available after the 12th/14th-week cutoff and there is generally no hard pregnancy ceiling in these cases.
OB-GYN Options
Pro Familia Berlin (Beratungszentrum)
- Type
- Counselling centre / family planning organisation
- Languages
- German; some counselling can be conducted in English, and Russian/Ukrainian counselling has been added by comparable Berlin providers.
- Relevance
- Primary port of call for the mandatory pregnancy-conflict counselling certificate (Beratungsschein) required for a standard abortion, plus general sexual health and contraception advice.
- Booking Note
- Counselling requires an advance appointment; certificates from pro familia are also valid at other state-recognised centres and vice versa.
Familienplanungszentrum – BALANCE (FPZ)
- Type
- Family planning centre offering both counselling and medical/surgical abortion care
- Services
- Offers counselling, and both medication and surgical abortion procedures, with particular focus on migrant and refugee women and women with disabilities.
- Languages
- German, with some services in English and (from Sept 2025) Russian and Ukrainian by appointment.
- Location Note
- Located in Berlin's Lichtenberg/Hohenschönhausen area — further from the central nomad-relevant districts, so factor in travel time when booking.
Gyn-Praxis Nova
- Type
- Gynecology practice
- Address
- Schönhauser Allee 81, 10439 Berlin (Prenzlauer Berg)
- Services
- Offers telemedicine-supported medication abortion consultations in addition to standard gynecological care.
- Neighborhood Fit
- Prenzlauer Berg is a common nomad/expat residential area, making this a practically located option.
- Name
- Prof. Dr. Dr. Andreas Ebert – Practice for Women's Health, Gynecology & Obstetrics
- Address
- Outpatient surgery performed at Spichernstraße 11 (near Spichernstrasse U-Bahn station), Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
- Services
- General and surgical gynecology with a focus on fertility- and organ-preserving techniques, laparoscopic treatment of gynecological conditions, and endometriosis care.
- Neighborhood Fit
- Charlottenburg/City West is centrally located and easily reached from most nomad-relevant Berlin neighborhoods.
SGN Berlin (Praxis Dr. Med. Sybille Görlitz-Novakovic)
- Type
- Gynecology and obstetrics practice
- Services
- Full range of gynecological and obstetric services, including cancer screening and treatment of vulvar/genital conditions.
- Languages
- German, English and French spoken by staff.
- Location Note
- Exact street address not independently confirmed at the time of research — verify current location before booking.
Contraception Access
- General Context
- Getting contraception in Germany can be a little tricky and expensive: state and private insurance only cover contraception costs up until a woman's 20th–22nd birthday except in particular medical circumstances. All hormonal methods (pill, minipill, implant, hormonal IUD, injection) legally require a prescription from a gynecologist (Frauenarzt); non-hormonal copper IUD also requires a doctor's insertion.
Copper IUD
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Prescription Required
- Yes
- Price Note
- Copper IUD costs €130–450 for placement, as well as the cost of the exam.
Price Placement Range
- Low
- €130
- High
- €450
Hormonal IUD
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Prescription Required
- Yes
- Price Note
- Hormonal IUD costs €300–400 for placement, plus the cost of the exam. Must be fitted by a gynecologist.
Price Placement Range
- Low
- €300
- High
- €400
Birth Control Pill
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Price Monthly Pack
- €19
- Prescription Required
- Yes
- Notes
- Available only on prescription from a gynecologist (Frauenarzt).
- Price Note
- Monthly packages cost around 15-23 euros, though three or six month supplies are more cost-effective, with a six-month supply costing around 50 euros.
Contraceptive Implant
- Price Local
- €300
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Prescription Required
- Yes
- Price Note
- Birth control implant lasts up to three years and costs around €300.
Contraceptive Injection
- Price Local
- €40
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Prescription Required
- Yes
- Price Note
- Birth control injections cost around €40 and are administered every 12 weeks.
Minipill Progestin Only
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Prescription Required
- Yes
- Price Note
- Available only on prescription from a gynecologist; costs depend on the hormones in the minipill, with three-month packages ranging from about 20-40 euros.
Price 3month Pack Range
- Low
- €20
- High
- €40
Emergency IUD Copper Coil
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Prescription Required
- Yes
- Notes
- If the morning-after pill is unsuitable (e.g., fear of side effects, or the woman is very overweight), an emergency coil or copper chain is a suitable alternative; both must be inserted into the uterus by a gynecologist, as quickly as possible but by the fifth day at most after unprotected sex. This non-hormonal, weight-independent method is considered the most effective form of emergency contraception.
- Price Note
- It costs between 200 and 350 euros to insert a copper chain.
- Insurance Note
- Women covered by statutory health insurance have costs covered by health insurance providers until their 22nd birthday.
Price Local Range
- Low
- €200
- High
- €350
Low Cost And Free Options In Berlin
- Notes
- In some cases the city of Berlin municipality may pay for the morning-after pill itself: high school and university students, or people/couples in a stable relationship over three months with income below a certain threshold, are eligible for the free pill. There are also organisations that can provide free or reduced-cost contraception to those otherwise unable to afford it. Contact your local Gesundheitsamt (public health office) or pro familia Berlin for eligibility and referrals.
Oral Emergency Contraception Morning After Pill
- Quality Caveat
- A mystery caller study in Berlin found heterogeneity in availability and counselling practices at pharmacies, including differences in how staff assess need and recommend products.
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Prescription Required
- No
- Price Note
- Depending on the active agent, the morning-after pill costs between 18 and 35 euros over the counter. It is free for women under 18, costs €5 for ages 18-19 (with a doctor's prescription), and either about €17 or €35 over age 20 depending on which type, when paid out of pocket without a prescription route.
- Access Notes
- The morning-after pill can be obtained from any pharmacy without a prescription and is usually dispensed just once, in person, to the woman concerned. Dispensing to girls under 14 is not recommended without parental/guardian consent; between ages 14 and 18 the pharmacist decides whether to dispense. Two active ingredients are sold: levonorgestrel (effective up to 72 hours) and ulipristal acetate (effective up to 120 hours, generally more effective).
- Insurance And Age Notes
- When women get the pill prescribed by a doctor before their 22nd birthday, statutory health insurance assumes the cost, though a contribution is required after the woman's 18th birthday. A prescription fee of about 5 euros applies for women over 18 who get it via prescription.
Price OTC Range
- Low
- €18
- High
- €35
Assault Support Hotlines And Services
Specialist Rape Crisis / Sexual Assault Counselling Center
- Phone
- 030 216 88 88
- Cost
- Free
- Name
- LARA – Krisen- und Beratungszentrum für vergewaltigte und sexuell belästigte Frauen
- Languages
- German, English, French, Turkish and Polish, with language mediators arranged for other languages.
- Description
- LARA offers unbureaucratic assistance for women, girls, trans*, inter*, and non-binary persons over the age of 14, who have been raped, sexually abused and/or sexually harassed, and its counsellors will offer support irrespective of how long ago the abuse occurred and who committed it. You may choose to remain anonymous, personal data is not recorded if you don't wish it, and all information is treated strictly confidentially. The hotline offers rapid advice and support, and in acute crisis situations you can also come without a prior appointment Mondays to Fridays between 9am and 6pm.
National 24/7 Helpline (Usable From Berlin)
- Phone
- 08000 116 016
- Cost
- Free
- Name
- Bundesweites Hilfetelefon Gewalt gegen Frauen (National Violence Against Women Helpline)
- Languages
- German, English, Albanian, Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Farsi, French, Italian, Kurdish, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Turkish, Vietnamese, German sign.
- Description
- This nationwide helpline offers anonymous and free of charge counseling for women who have experienced violence and for individuals wanting to help someone who is experiencing violence, with 24/7 support via online chat or phone.
BIG Hotline (Berliner Initiative Gegen Gewalt an Frauen)
- Phone
- 030 611 03 00
- Cost
- Free
- Type
- Domestic and sexualised violence hotline
- Description
- The BIG hotline supports women experiencing domestic abuse and their children, as well as violence or harassment from an ex-partner. Available daily, 8am–11pm.
Gewaltschutzambulanz Charité (Forensic Violence Protection Outpatient Clinic)
- Phone
- +49 30 450 570270
- Cost
- Free
- Type
- Forensic medical examination and injury documentation, citywide service (no direct local alternative)
- Address
- Turmstraße 21, Haus N (entrance Birkenstraße 62), 10559 Berlin
- Description
- Provides forensic medical assessment and documentation of visible injuries, for example following domestic violence or sexualized violent crimes, with treatment given in Charité's rescue centers. Can document evidence even if you're undecided about filing a police report.
Opferhilfe e.V.
- Cost
- Free
- Type
- General victim/witness support
- Languages
- German, English, Turkish
- Description
- Offers advice and support to victims and witnesses of crime and their families in the city of Berlin.
Frauenberatung TARA
- Phone
- 030 78 71 83 40
- Cost
- Free, confidential
- Type
- Domestic violence / intercultural counselling center
- Description
- Offers psychological and social counseling, step-by-step support, and referrals related to sexualized harassment, discrimination, or violence, including stalking.
Weißer Ring (Crime Victims Hotline)
- Phone
- 116 006
- Cost
- Free
- Type
- National victim support hotline
- Description
- General crime-victim support hotline, available daily 7am–10pm, toll-free.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this women's health & safety research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Berlin
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.