Women seeking abortions in Hungary will be presented with evidence of their unborn child’s heartbeat before they can go ahead with the procedure.

In a decree issued on Monday, Hungary’s interior ministry urges gynaecologists, obstetricians, and other pre-natal healthcare providers to present pregnant women with a fetus’s vital functions in a “clearly identifiable way” from 15 September onwards.

According to medical practice, the sign of an unborn child’s vital functions can be a heartbeat, which is usually present from six weeks into pregnancy.

Doctors will have to submit a report confirming that this has been done.

Women in Hungary are allowed to access an abortion up until 12 weeks of pregnancy, sometimes later if there are severe health complications at play. They are also required to complete a counselling session first.