- Abortion legal status
- Legal
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: vietnamtourism.com, vietnamrenty.com
Good to know
Good to Know
- Emergency contraception and the daily pill are sold over the counter at ordinary pharmacies (Pharmacity, Guardian, and independent 'nhà thuốc') across HCMC without needing a prescription in most cases — useful if you need same-day access.
- The Vietnamese phrase for morning-after pill is 'thuốc tránh thai khẩn cấp' — worth having this written down or on a translation app if a pharmacist's English is limited.
- IUDs and implants are best obtained through international/private clinics (Family Medical Practice, FV Hospital, Raffles Medical) rather than public hospitals, since these offer English-speaking doctors — but at a noticeably higher price than pharmacy contraceptives.
- If you experience a sexual assault, your embassy/consulate can help you navigate local police and medical procedures, which is valuable given that local police often have limited English and limited experience with foreign victims.
- Try not to wash or change clothes before seeking medical attention after an assault, as this can preserve forensic evidence if you later decide to report it.
- National hotlines (Peace House Shelter, One-Stop Service Centers) operate 24/7, but support is primarily in Vietnamese — bring a Vietnamese-speaking friend or use a translation app if calling directly, or route through your embassy first.
- Abortion is legal on request in Vietnam with no waiting period or reason required — it is treated as a standard reproductive health service, not a restricted procedure.
- Early-pregnancy options (aspiration, abortion pills) are widely available, but second-trimester procedures (13–22 weeks) are only offered at central and larger provincial hospitals, not at smaller clinics.
- Public hospitals like Tu Du and Hung Vuong are very affordable but operate in Vietnamese-first mode — bringing a Vietnamese-speaking friend or confirming English-language support ahead of time will make the visit far smoother.
- International private hospitals (FV, Raffles, Vinmec, AIH) are the more comfortable option for English-speaking care but are geared mainly toward general OB-GYN and maternity services — call ahead to confirm they perform the specific procedure you need.
- Sex-selective abortion is illegal in Vietnam, but this restriction does not affect access to abortion for other reasons.
Street, Night and Taxi Safety
Street Harassment
Sources describe street harassment in Ho Chi Minh City as uncommon and mostly verbal rather than physical, with several solo female travelers reporting they were never catcalled or made to feel uncomfortable walking the city alone. One safety-metrics review still rates harassment risk as moderate overall, so experiences vary, but the pattern described is occasional, low-level catcalling rather than persistent or aggressive harassment.
Walking Alone at Night
Central, busy streets in District 1 are walked by foreigners every night and are generally considered fine with normal city awareness, while quiet, unlit side streets and alleys are the places sources say to avoid on foot after dark in favor of a ride-hailing car. District 3, District 5, Thao Dien, District 7 and Binh Thanh are also commonly named as calmer, residential areas, whereas Bui Vien Street's nightlife strip is flagged as needing the most vigilance due to bag snatching and scams rather than violent crime.
Taxis and Ride-hailing
App-based rides such as Grab are repeatedly described as the safer default because the fare, license plate and driver are logged in the app, pricing is shown upfront, and the trip can be shared or tracked by GPS. If taking a street taxi, sources recommend sticking to the recognizable Vinasun or Mai Linh brands and insisting the meter is used, since unlicensed or unofficial taxis are the ones linked to overcharging and rigged-meter scams.
Petty Theft and Bag Snatching
The most commonly documented risk for women in the city is opportunistic bag or phone snatching by thieves on motorbikes, concentrated in crowded spots like Ben Thanh Market and busy sidewalks rather than any pattern of personal attack. Practical advice given includes keeping bags on the shoulder away from the road, not using a phone at the curb, and being extra alert in crowded tourist areas such as Bui Vien Street.
Practical Precautions
Recommended precautions include declining items handed to you on the street (a reported bracelet-and-payment-demand scam), checking a Grab driver's license plate and vehicle details against the app before getting in, choosing accommodation with a manned, well-lit entrance rather than one down a dark alley, and pre-arranging a return ride before a night out rather than flagging transport on the street late at night.
Estimated Costs
Public Sector MVA
- Amount Local Low
- ₫105,000
- Amount Local High
- ₫184,000
- Note
- Approximate cost for manual vacuum aspiration at a public facility.
Private Sector Range
- Amount Local Low
- ₫473,000
- Amount Local High
- ₫2,630,000
- Note
- Private clinic pricing varies widely by pregnancy and specific provider.
Public Sector D And E
- Amount Local Low
- ₫2,104,000
- Amount Local High
- ₫2,630,000
- Note
- Approximate cost for second-trimester dilation and evacuation at a public facility.
Public Sector Medical Abortion
- Amount Local Low
- ₫526,000
- Amount Local High
- ₫658,000
- Note
- Approximate cost for medical abortion (pill regimen) at a public facility.
OB-GYN Options In City
Tu Du Hospital
- Area
- District 1 (Ben Thanh area)
- Type
- Public specialist OB-GYN/maternity hospital
- Notes
- One of the two major public referral hospitals in HCMC for obstetrics, gynecology, and abortion services. High patient volume, Vietnamese-first service; bring a translator or confirm English support in advance.
Hung Vuong Hospital
- Area
- District 5 (Cho Lon)
- Type
- Public specialist OB-GYN/maternity hospital
- Notes
- The other major public OB-GYN referral hospital in the city, offering low-cost care including abortion services, but with queues and limited English support.
FV Hospital
- Area
- District 7 (Phu My Hung)
- Type
- Private international hospital, JCI-accredited
- Notes
- Long-established French-founded international hospital with an OB-GYN department serving expats; good for prenatal care and gynecological consultations.
Raffles Medical Ho Chi Minh City
- Area
- Binh Thanh District (No Trang Long Street)
- Type
- Private international clinic/hospital
- Notes
- Singapore-founded international medical group with an OB-GYN department; caters heavily to insured expat patients and is priced accordingly.
Vinmec Central Park International Hospital
- Area
- Binh Thanh District
- Type
- Private international hospital
- Notes
- Part of the large Vinmec system; has a dedicated Obstetrics and Gynecology department with English-speaking staff.
American International Hospital (AIH)
- Area
- District 2 / Thao Dien (An Phu Ward)
- Type
- Private international hospital
- Notes
- JCI-following hospital with OB-GYN specialists offering prenatal care, gynecological surgery, and family planning counseling; convenient for expats based in Thao Dien.
Abortion Time Limits And Procedures
- Limit
- Up to 6 weeks of pregnancy; available even at communal/commune-level health stations.
- Limit
- Up to 63 days (9 weeks) pregnancy, with the exact cutoff depending on facility level: 49 days at district level, 56 days at provincial level, 63 days at central hospitals.
- Limit
- 13–22 weeks of pregnancy, but only performed at central and larger provincial hospitals, not at district or commune facilities.
Assault Resources
- Emergency Reporting
- Vietnam police emergency number is 113. For sexual assault, victims can also go to the nearest police station in HCMC, though English-language support cannot be guaranteed there.
Reporting Notes
- Under the Vietnamese Penal Code, rape is treated as an extremely serious crime, with penalties extending to life imprisonment and, in cases involving victims under 16, the death penalty.
- Victims can request a female police officer when reporting, but availability is not guaranteed.
- Local police often have limited English and limited experience handling cases involving foreigners, so consular assistance is recommended if the victim is a foreign national.
Hotlines Support Services
One-Stop Service Center (OSSC) / Anh Duong House – Ho Chi Minh City
- Detail
- A toll-free 24/7 hotline serving Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang for survivors of gender-based violence, offering integrated health, legal, and psychosocial support.
- Contact
- 02433335599 (toll-free)
1900 96 96 80
- Name
- Peace House Shelter national hotline (Vietnam Women's Union / Center for Women and Development)
- Detail
- A national 24/7 hotline and call center supporting women and children experiencing gender-based violence, with referral to shelters and case management.
U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City – American Citizen Services
- Detail
- Provides confidential, non-judgmental guidance on local customs, medical procedures, police reporting, and referrals for U.S. citizen victims of sexual assault; can assist with contacting family with consent.
- Contact
- 4 Le Duan Blvd, Sai Gon Ward, HCMC — phone (+84-28) 3820-420; after-hours (028) 3520 4200 or (028) 3520 4600
British Consulate-General Ho Chi Minh City
- Detail
- Consular staff can accompany or support British nationals reporting rape or sexual assault, and can liaise with local police on the victim's behalf.
- Contact
- 25 Le Duan Street, Sai Gon Ward, HCMC — +84 (0) 2838251380, Mon–Thu 8:30am–4pm, Fri 8:30am–3pm
Family Medical Practice (HCMC Clinic)
- Detail
- Private international clinic network offering medical and psychological assistance to sexual assault victims, including STI/HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), with English-speaking staff.
- Contact
- Clinics in District 1 and District 2, HCMC
Hagar International
- Detail
- NGO supporting women and children survivors of trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual abuse with free accommodation, healthcare, psychological counselling, legal aid, and career training.
- Contact
- Referral via embassy/consulate victim resource pages
Medical Forensic Guidance
- Guidance for foreign nationals recommends avoiding washing or changing clothes immediately after an assault, as this may destroy forensic evidence relevant to a police report.
- If exposure to HIV is possible, urgent attendance at a hospital or clinic is advised to access an STD check-up and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) treatment.
- Private hospitals/clinics (e.g., FV Hospital, Family Medical Practice, Raffles Medical HCMC, City International Hospital) are more likely to have English-speaking staff than public hospitals for post-assault care.
Contraception And Emergency Contraception
- Legal Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Access Summary
- Contraceptives, including emergency contraceptives, are legal in Vietnam and do not require a prescription for most formulations. Levonorgestrel-based emergency contraceptive pills are sold over the counter as an essential medicine, while mifepristone-based emergency contraceptive products require a pharmacist-issued prescription.
Methods
- Price
- ₫10,000
- Access
- Available over the counter at pharmacies citywide (e.g., Pharmacity, Guardian) without a prescription; no confirmed age restriction.
- Price
- ₫10,000
- Access
- May require a prescription from a pharmacist or doctor, unlike levonorgestrel-based options.
- Price
- ₫10,000
- Access
- Sold over the counter at pharmacies throughout the city without a prescription, though a doctor consultation is recommended to choose the right brand.
- Price
- ₫3,733,900
Based on Family Medical Practice network pricing (~$142 for standard insertion); a consultation fee (~$95) is typically charged separately, and this figure is converted from a USD-quoted clinic price using a current exchange rate.
- Access
- Available at international clinics such as Family Medical Practice; insertion requires a clinical consultation.
- Price
- ₫9,231,300
Based on Family Medical Practice network pricing (~$351 all-in for the Mirena IUD device and insertion); converted from a USD-quoted clinic price.
- Access
- Available at international clinics such as Family Medical Practice.
- Access
- Available in Vietnam, though local OB/GYNs caution it may not be ideal for very young women due to prolonged ovarian suppression; typically obtained through a private clinic consultation rather than pharmacy purchase.
Abortion is legal on request in Vietnam and has been since 1989, with no restriction on the reason for seeking it. It is provided as a standard part of the public health system.
Legal Basis
Legality rests on Article 44 of the 1989 Law on the Protection of People's Health, which states that women have the right to have an abortion if they so desire. The Criminal Code does not criminalize abortion itself, though sex-selective abortion is illegal.
Legal Status
Fully legal and regulated
Access Routes
- Public Sector
- Provided free or at low cost through Ministry of Health-approved facilities, including central/provincial hospitals, district hospitals, polyclinics, and commune health centers. In Ho Chi Minh City, Tu Du Hospital and Hung Vuong Hospital are the major public obstetrics/gynecology referral hospitals handling the full range of abortion care, including second-trimester procedures.
- Private Sector
- Trained private providers (doctors, OB-GYN specialists) are permitted to provide MVA and medical abortion for pregnancies up to about 6 weeks. International/private hospitals in the city generally focus on prenatal and maternity care and are a realistic option for early consultation, ultrasound dating, and referral, though language support and willingness to perform elective abortion should be confirmed directly with the clinic.
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 Ho Chi Minh City
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.