. Tunisia, in comparison with its counterparts in the region, is by far the most liberal when it comes to abortion policies. Abortions are permitted for the mother during the first trimester of the pregnancy, and are allowed until after twelve weeks – if the mother’s physical or mental health is at risk, or if there are foetal abnormalities. In more traditional communities, though, doctors may not be as willing to perform abortions in situations that involve pregnancies arising out of social taboos: mainly sexual relations ships before or outside of marriage. This  forces women and girls to resort to unsafe abortions.