Hungary to force women to listen to ‘foetal heartbeat’ before they can have an abortion

Decree says women requesting abortion to be made to hear ‘clearly identifiable indication of foetal vital signs’

Women in Hungary seeking an abortion will be forced to listen to the “foetal heartbeat” before undergoing the procedure, according to a new decree by the nation’s right-wing government.

Under the order, which comes into effect from Thursday, healthcare providers will be required to provide pregnant women requesting an abortion with “a clearly identifiable indication of foetal vital signs”.

The sign of a foetus’s vital functions is often associated with a heartbeat.