Uruguay Congress Votes to Allow Abortion Up to Twelve Weeks

Passed by fifty votes to forty-nine

The lower house of Uruguay's Congress has voted to legalise abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

The bill was approved by 50 votes to 49 after 14 hours of debate.

The law must now be approved by the Senate, which voted for a previous version of the text last December. President Jose Mujica has said he will approve the law if passed by Congress.