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Medical Abortion Laws In United States | Abortion Law By States In USA.

Since the inception of abortion pills, medical abortion has become a preferred way of terminating unplanned pregnancy for women. It has received both support and opposition from both sides of the argument. On one side are pro-life volunteers who compare abortion to murdering a living being, on the other are the ones who know that every woman has a right to her body.

Abortion: Who Is Right?

One must understand that the legal right to have an abortion in all the 50 States in the U.S. is coming to an end. It will then be left up to individual States to decide if abortions will remain legal in their State. For many States, the rights of women to have access to abortion and birth control will become illegal. In the recent 2018 November elections, two States have amended their Constitutions to give the fetus rights to equal protection under the law. In essence, when the Supreme law overturns Roe vs Wade soon, women will be able to be prosecuted for murder if they elect to terminate their pregnancies. This goes for abortions performed either surgically or by the abortion pill. Just look at the wording below in the two States that recently passed anti-abortion amendments:

Alabama’s Amendment 2, which passed with 61% of votes, amends the state’s Constitution “to declare and otherwise affirm that it is the public policy of the state to recognize and support the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children … and to provide that the constitution of this state does not protect the right to abortion or require the funding of abortion.”

West Virginia’s Amendment 1, which passed more narrowly with 52% of votes, states that “Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of abortion.”

Why Abortion Should Be Legal:

Many States will attempt to amend their constitutions to give the fetus human rights. Many people vote “yes” to these amendments and not realize what is truly at stake here. Women are being forced to give up their right to control their bodies. They are agreeing to make it criminal to have an abortion and to be sent to jail for doing so.

Hundreds of thousands of women died when abortions were illegal in the United States. Millions of families were left without mother’s or wives to care for children. There were “abortion wards” set up in thousands of hospitals across the US to care for women who underwent illegal abortions. It is imperative for everyone to understand that legal abortions do not increase the number of abortions that occur in a population.

Why Abortion Is Good:

Illegal abortions increase the maternal morbidity and mortality that happens. Women are going to have abortions when determined to do so. A unanimous US Supreme Court decision to decide to overturn Roe V Wade will mark one of the saddest days in our country. Those who take part in that unanimous decision as well as others will celebrate. They believe that they would have accomplished a moral victory. They believe that abortion is wrong and should be illegal. It is their belief that passing laws that make abortion illegal is the moral, ethical and righteous thing to do.

What they do not understand is the effect it may have on a neighbor, friend or individuals that live within a few short blocks of where they live. Approximately 1 in 3 women have an abortion by the age of 45. They were able to make the choice at that time in their life whether morally, ethically, socially, financially, her age, family situation and many other variables whether or not they carried out their abortion. Understand that it is the timing of when a pregnancy occurs, is wrong for women who are confronted with a unwanted pregnancy. The result of pregnancy by rape and incest is a total different matter. Women who are married and have fulfilled their family obligations are confronted with unwanted pregnancies. Perhaps her husband did not use protection or forced himself on his wife at a time he knew there was a high chance of her becoming pregnant.

These scenarios that are being described happen multiple times in the world on a daily basis. It is unconscionable, unethical, immoral and wrong for any woman to be placed in position of a governmental entity standing in the way. Women should be able to exercise their right to have an abortion. Abortions should not just be for the elite. Making abortion illegal will be detrimental for indigent and poor women. They will not have the finances to travel, hire caregivers for their children, have the funds to stay in a hotel or purchase food. Being able to take time off from work or school can be difficult. These are very complex issues and can create tremendous undue burdens on women and their families. We have not covered women who really want their pregnancy and find out there is a maternal or fetal issue that affects the life and health of herself or the fetus.

In order to not repeat certain disasters and catastrophic events that have happened in the past, one must become educated and process these events. Legal abortions are taken for granted and most people take a passive approach on this matter. The far right have been marching towards making abortion illegal since the passage of Roe Vs Wade in 1973. They are now nearing the victory line.

When Abortion Was Illegal:

There are many who argue why abortion should be illegal. The arguments of why abortion should be legal is because it saves women’s lives. That should dismiss any argument of whether or not abortion is good or bad. The consequences of illegal abortions are infertility, chronic and severe lower abdominal pain, permanent scarring of the uterus where conception may become impossible. chronic pelvic pain, destruction of the bowel or bladder and. a high incidence of maternal death. If this sounds like a victory to anyone in America then so be it. It just might be the wake-up call necessary for the US population to wake up and realize we have been duped. Abortions should remain legal and safe.

Abortions that are performed either surgically or medically in the first trimester of pregnancy are highly safe and effective and are performed with minimal to no complications. The incidence of serious complications occur in less than 1% of cases. The complication rate is much higher getting a wisdom tooth pulled. The incidence of maternal death is 10 times higher for patients undergoing a normal term vaginal delivery. The chance of dying when the abortion pill is utilized is 0.0063%. One can see the chance of dying utilizing Mifepristone (Mifeprex, RU 486) is very small.

Abortion pills do not hurt or harm the baby or affect future fertility. Studies show that women who had an abortion using the medical abortion process have a higher fertility rate than compared to women who have never been pregnant.

There are 2.4 million unwanted pregnancies that occur in the US every year. Approximately 1.2 million women terminate their pregnancies yearly.

Restricting or making abortions illegal does not reduce the incidence of abortions but only increases the maternal morbidity and mortality; why is the US population nearly split on whether abortions should be legal or illegal?

Abortion has been politicized since it was made legal. It has created a deep divide between parties and among the American people. Why or how should it be controversial for a woman to have the right to do what she wants with her own body? Every woman should have equal access to abortion. That is certainly not the case in all States right now. It will become worse in the near future unless we take action right now to stop it. The only way to stop the march towards abortions becoming illegal in the U.S. is through voting. Everyone knows that the Civil War was fought to free slaves. The top 20 reasons that southern states say they went to war does not mention slavery. The same can be said for many politicians today regarding why abortions should not be legal. It saves women’s lives.

There is no middle ground when it comes to abortions. Either one supports it or does not. There are women who protest against abortion everyday and when they conceive and the pregnancy is unwanted, they terminate the pregnancy and back protesting against abortions the next day. They give many reasons why they had to terminate their pregnancy but other women should not. There are millions of hypocrites in the world today regarding the abortion issue.

In this blog, we will provide you information about the abortion laws in different states of the USA.

What are the abortion laws in different US states?

The United States is composed of 50 States. Each State is free to make its own laws as long as they do not violate Federal Constitutional Rights. There is a vast divide between those who want to make abortion illegal and those who want abortion to remain legal. The abortion laws in 10 states are noted below:

Abortion Laws in Florida

The State of Florida has a list of total four laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

  1. Notification to Parents

One of the parents of the woman under the age of 18 years should be notified about the abortion procedure. It should be done 24 hours before it takes place, this can be amended in case the woman is married, or if she has a child already.

  1. Public Funding

The health plans under the Obamacare administration cover cases of abortion related to rape, incest and if the mother of the child has risk to her life. It also applies to the public funding of the procedure.

  1. 24-Weeks band

The abortion procedure is banned after a period of 24-weeks, except in cases of a risk to the mother’s life or if the physical health is highly compromised.

  1. Ultrasound

In order to get an abortion in Florida, the women must have an ultrasound done before undergoing the procedure; the provider must share the image with the women. They can undergo either the medical abortion or the surgical abortion depending on their condition.

Abortion laws in Illinois

The State of Illinois has a list of total two laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

  1. Parental Notification

Either parent of the women under the age of 18 needs to be informed about the abortion procedure.

  1. Health Insurance Restrictions and Medicaid

With women, who are covered by health insurance plan offered to public employees, abortion would be covered only when there is danger to life or health is compromised. However, women on Medicaid would not receive any coverage on medical abortion cost Illinois even if the procedure is considered necessary.

Abortion Laws in Kentucky

The State of Kentucky has a list of total five laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

  1. Compulsory Counseling and 24-Hour Waiting Period

The women must receive counseling; some of these have been made to discourage them from going through the procedure. They also need to wait for another 24-hour prior to undergoing the abortion process.

  1. Parental Consent

One of the parents of the women under the age of 18 years must agree to the woman undergoing the procedure.

  1. Obamacare, Public Funding and Health Insurance

As per the health plans for Kentucky’s Obamacare, private insurers offer support for the procedure only in cases of a danger to the mother’s life. The public health insurance plans does not cover the cost of abortion procedure. In addition, public funding is available only in cases of rape, incest, or danger to one’s life.

  1. Ultrasound

Women need to undergo an ultrasound prior to the procedure. In addition, the abortion provider must provide them the option of viewing the image.

  1. The 20-Week Ban

The abortion procedure is banned after a period of 20 weeks, unless the women’s life is in danger or the health is severely compromised.

Abortion Laws in Texas

Related: The New Texas’ 6 Weeks Abortion Law Could Worsen Maternal Mortality Rate.

The State of Texas has passed several laws restricting access to abortion:

  1. Mandatory Counseling and 24-Hour Waiting Period

Women are to receive counseling to discourage them from following the procedure. In addition, they are to wait for 24 hours after receiving the counseling material.

  1. Parental Consent

One of the parents of the women under 18 years of age needs to agree to proceed with the abortion.

  1. The 20-Week Ban

All abortion procedures are banned after a period of 20-weeks, except when there is danger to the mother’s life or her physical health is compromised.

  1. FDA Restrictions

The abortion medication to be administered in accordance with the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) recommendation.

  1. Public Funding

Only when there is case of life endangerment, rape or incest can public funding be made available.

  1. The D&E Procedure Ban

The second-trimester procedure, known as Dilation and Evacuation is banned by the State of Texas.

  1. Telemedicine Restriction

The State of Texas has banned the use of telemedicine for acquiring abortion procedures. This method has been studied and found to be safe for terminating pregnancy in the first trimester.

  1. Ultrasound

Women need to undergo an ultrasound 24-hour prior to undergoing the abortion procedure. In addition, the procedure provider needs to show them the image.

Abortion Laws in Ohio

The State of Ohio has a list of a total of seven laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

  1. FDA Restrictions

The abortion medication needs to be administered in accordance with the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) recommendation.

  1. Telemedicine Restrictions

Ohio has banned the use of telemedicine for getting abortion medicines, which are used for ending the pregnancy in the first trimester.

  1. Obamacare, Public Funding and Health Insurance Limitations

As per health plans under Ohio’s Obamacare, abortion procedure is covered only when there is danger to the mother’s life, rape, or incest. The public funding is also available only in cases of such as those covered by Ohio’s Obamacare plans.

  1. Parental Consent

One of the parents of the women must consent to the abortion procedure.

  1. Counseling and 24-Hour Waiting Period

Women are to receive counseling in person to discourage them from proceeding with the abortion. In addition, they need to wait for a 24-hour period prior to commencing with the procedure.

  1. The 20-Week Ban

The State of Ohio has banned all abortion procedures after a period of 20 weeks. It is bound with exceptions in cases of danger to mother’s life or when her physical health is compromised.

  1. Ultrasound

Women need to undergo an ultrasound as the provider needs to check for fetal heartbeat. In addition, the abortion provider should offer the option of viewing the sonogram image.

Abortion Laws in Michigan

The State of Michigan has a list of total five laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

  1. Viability

The abortion can be performed in cases where the woman’s health or life is endangered.

  1. Parental Consent

One of the parents of the women under the age of 18 years must consent to the abortion procedure.

  1. Telemedicine Restriction

The State of Michigan has banned the use of telemedicine, used for procuring abortion medication used in termination of pregnancy.

  1. Obamacare, Health Insurance, and Public Funding Restrictions

The health plans under the Michigan’s Obamacare stipulation, and health insurance plans for public employees cover abortion only in cases of danger to the mother’s life. The public funding will be available in cases of rape, incest and life endangerment to mother.

  1. Counseling and 24-Hour Waiting Period

Women must receive counseling to discourage them from carrying out the abortion procedure. However, they must wait 24 hours prior to commencing with the procedure.

Abortion Laws in Kansas

The State of Kansas has a list of total six laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

  1. Parental Consent

A parent of the 18 year old woman must consent to going through with the abortion procedure.

  1. The 20-Week Ban

The abortion procedure is banned after a period of 20 weeks, unless the woman’s life is in danger or physical health has been compromised.

  1. Ultrasound

Before the procedure, the women need to undergo an ultrasound. In addition, the abortion procedure provider must offer them the option of looking at the image.

  1. Obamacare, Public Funding, and Health Insurance Restrictions

The health plans under the Kansas’s Obamacare for public employees provides cover for abortion only in cases of danger to the mother’s life. In addition, public funding is available only in cases of rape or incest.

  1. Counseling and 24-Hour Waiting Period

Prior to the procedure, women must be provided with counseling to discourage them from going through the abortion. In addition, they need to wait for 24 hours before the procedure.

  1. Telemedicine Restriction

Kansas has completely banned the use of telemedicine, used for procuring medicines for abortion. It is used for terminating pregnancy in the first trimester.

Abortion Laws in Idaho

The State of Idaho has a list of total three laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

  1. Parental Consent

One of the parents of the women under the age of 18 years must give their consent to proceed with the procedure.

  1. Counseling and Waiting

Primarily, the women must be given counseling to discourage them from going forward with the abortion. In addition, they need to wait for another 24 hours before proceeding with the abortion.

  1. Public Funding, Health Insurance and Obamacare

The Health plans under the Idaho’s Obamacare provide cover for abortion only in cases of rape or incest. The private insurers will support abortion only if the life of the women is in danger. Public funding is available only in cases of rape, incest, or endangerment.

Abortion Laws in California

The State of California has a list of total three laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

  1. Public Funding and Health Insurance

Every public health insurance plan in the State of California is to provide coverage for an abortion procedure.

  1. Public Funding

Women, who qualify the state medical assistance requirements can get public funds for abortion. As compared to other states, there is no restriction including medical justification.

  1. Parental Consent

One of the parents of the women who is 18 years of age must provide a written consent for the abortion procedure.

Abortion Laws in Alaska

The State of Alaska has a list of total three laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

  1. Mandatory Counseling

Women must be given counseling material to prevent them from moving forward with the abortion.

  1. Public Funding

Women, who qualify for the state medical assistance are liable to receive public funding for abortion, if their health is at risk.

  1. Parental Consent

Unmarried women below the age of 17 years must have consent from their parents.

Abortion Laws in Iowa

The State of Iowa has a list of total three laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

  1. Public Funding and Medicaid

Public funds are available in cases of danger to mother’s life, rape, or incest. The use of Medicaid funds for abortion must be approved by the governor.

  1. The 6-Week Ban

All abortion procedures in Iowa are banned completely after a period of 6 weeks, except in cases of rape, incest, or danger to a mother’s life. In addition, if her physical health is severely compromised; it can be an exception.

  1. Parental Notification

The parents of the woman under the age of 18 years must be notified about the abortion procedure.

Abortion Laws in Rhode Island

Rhode Island has a list of total three laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

  1. A 24-Week Ban

Every abortion procedure after a 24-week period has been banned, except when the mother’s life is in danger or when her physical health is severely compromised.

  1. Public Funding and Health Insurance Restrictions

Health insurance plans for public employees provide cover for abortion in case of danger to the woman’s health, rape, or incest. However, public funding is also available in cases same as that of health insurance plans.

  1. Parental Consent

One of the parents of the woman who is less than 18 years of age must give their consent to the abortion procedure.

Abortion Laws in Pennsylvania

The State of Pennsylvania has a list of total four laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

  1. 24-Week Ban

All abortion procedures after a period of 24-weeks of pregnancy have been completely banned by the state. However, there are exceptions including risk to the mother’s life, or when her physical health is completely compromised.

  1. Counseling and 24-Hour Waiting Period

Women are to receive counseling to discourage them from undergoing the abortion procedure. However, they need to wait at least 24-hours before going in for the procedure.

  1. Obamacare, Public Funding, and Health Insurance Restrictions

The health plans under the Pennsylvania’s Obamacare and health insurance plans for public employees provide cover for abortion in cases of rape and incest. In addition, public funding is available in case of serious danger to a mother’s life.

  1. Counseling and Waiting Period

The women must be provided with proper counseling by an expert to discourage them from going further with the abortion. However, they must wait 24 hours before undergoing the procedure.

Abortion Laws in Nevada

Nevada has a list of total three laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

  1. Parental Consent

Unmarried and Unemancipated women below the age of 18 years should have one parent who has given their consent for abortion.

  1. Public Funding

Public funding for the abortion procedure is available only in cases related to rape, endangerment to life, and incest

  1. The 24-Week Ban

Every abortion procedure after 24-weeks of pregnancy has been banned in Nevada. However, there are certain exceptions such as danger to the mother’s life or weak physical health.

Abortion Laws in Nebraska

Nevada has a list of total five laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

  1. Telemedicine Restrictions

Nebraska has completely banned the use of telemedicine, which is used for obtaining abortion medications. It is used for terminating the pregnancy during the first trimester.

  1. Counseling and Waiting Period

Women must be provided with counseling material to discourage them from going with the abortion. Afterwards, they would need to wait for a period of 24 hours before undergoing the procedure.

  1. Parental Consent

One of the parents of the women under 18 years of age must give their consent for the procedure.

  1. The 20-Week Ban

Abortion procedure after 20 weeks has been banned in Nebraska, except in cases of risk to a mother’s health or when her physical health is compromised.

  1. Obamacare, Public Funding and Health Insurance Limitations

The health plans under Nebraska’s Obamacare, private insurers, and insurance plans for public employees cover abortion in cases of danger to the mother’s life. Public Funding is available in cases of rape or incest.

Abortion Laws in Massachusetts

The State of Massachusetts has a list of total two laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

  1. 24-Week Ban

All abortion procedures after a period of 24-weeks have been banned by Massachusetts. However, there are certain exceptions including danger to the woman’s life or if her physical health has been compromised.

  1. Parental Consent

One of the parents of the woman under 18 years of age needs to give their consent to the procedure.

Abortion Laws in Maryland

The State of Maryland has a list of total two laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

  1. Public Funding

Women, who qualify for the state medical assistance can get public funds for the abortion procedure. Unlike other states in the USA, there is no restriction including a medical justification.

  1. Parental Notification

One parent of the women under the age of 18 years must be notified about the procedure.

Abortion Laws in Delaware

The State of Delaware has a list of total two laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

  1. Parental Consent

It is important for one parent of a woman under 16 years of age to be notified 48 hours prior to the procedure. However, the abortion provider can waive this requirement under certain circumstances.

  1. Public Funding

Public Funding for abortion is available in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the woman’s life.

Abortion Laws in Colorado

The State of Colorado has a list of total two laws and restrictions surrounding abortion:

Public Funding and Health Insurance Limitations

Abortion is not covered by the health insurance of public employees. The public funds are available for abortion in cases of rape, incest, and danger to the life of the woman.

Parental Consent

Two parents, with the exception of a woman under 18 years of age must be given a notice prior to the procedure. In case the woman is living with other adult relatives, then they need to be notified of the same.

Summing Up

There are many State laws in place where abortion will immediately become illegal when the United States Supreme Court gives States the Right to make abortion illegal. Restrictive laws regarding abortions in the United States are passed on a yearly basis. Restrictive abortion laws or countries where abortions are are legal does not reduce the number of abortions that occur. Doing so only increases the morbidity and maternal deaths caused by performing illegal abortions.

When looking to terminate an unwanted pregnancy; make sure that you are aware of the laws regulating abortion in your state.

Dr James S Pendergraft | Orlando Women’s Center | Abortion Clinic Orlando

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