Abortion is legal in the United States thanks to Roe v. Wade – but abortion laws and restrictions vary from state to state. Select your state to see current abortion laws and how access to abortion would change if Roe v. Wade was cancelled. Gov. Kevin Stitt signed three bills in 2021 that introduce new restrictions on abortion. One bill would revoke a medical license for people who perform abortions, another would ban abortions if a heartbeat is detected, and the third would require that board-certified OB-GYN doctors be the only ones who can perform abortions. [58] Despite the trend to reform laws to prevent death and injury, some countries, including Nicaragua and El Salvador, maintain draconian and discriminatory laws that still prohibit abortion in virtually all circumstances. In fact, according to the WHO, 40% of women of reproductive age worldwide live in countries with highly restrictive abortion laws where abortion is legal, neither available nor accessible. In these states, abortion is prohibited or permitted only in very limited circumstances or, if legal, it is not accessible in practice due to multiple barriers to access.
The following states have or have had initiatives regarding abortion. The legislative approach to the Fetal Heart Rhythm Act gained momentum in 2018 and 2019. Laws requiring providers or clinics to inform parents or guardians of adolescents who wish to have an abortion before an abortion (parental notification) or to document parental or guardian consent to the abortion of an adolescent girl (parental consent). Abortion is legal for up to 25 weeks. Some restrictions include insurance coverage based on sexual assault or serious health conditions. Parental consent is also required for minors in Virginia. In 2020, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed a law lifting many of the abortion restrictions that had been in place for decades. Virginia was the first state to codify new abortion protections in 2020. [82] There is evidence that abortion rates are higher in countries with limited access to contraceptives. Abortion rates are lower when people, including young people, have access to modern contraceptive methods, and when comprehensive sexuality education is available and there is widespread access to safe and legal abortions.
Ohio and Georgia have six-week bans in place, making most abortions inaccessible. If you are less than six weeks pregnant, you can still have an abortion in these states. Abortion of a pregnancy is a common decision made by millions of people – every year, a quarter of pregnancies end in abortion. Michigan also has a pre-roe ban that could ban abortion, according to the Times, although governor. Whitmer has vowed to veto any new anti-abortion legislation and has filed a lawsuit to clarify whether or not the state constitution protects abortion rights. According to the Post, voters in the state could discuss the issue on an election issue this fall. The Times reports that North Carolina also has a pre-existing ban, but that it could be replaced with new abortion restrictions. South Carolina has a six-week abortion ban, but it was recently blocked by a judge. Amnesty International believes that everyone should be free to exercise their physical autonomy and make their own decisions about their reproductive life, including when and if they have children. It is important that abortion laws respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of pregnant people and do not force them to resort to unsafe abortions. Abortion is legal until fetal viability in Maine. Doctors, physician assistants, nurses and other health professionals can perform the procedure.
[42] After the Supreme Court passed a 2021 trigger law banning abortion in Arkanas on June 24, 2022. [12] [7] The prohibition provides an exception for abortions performed to save the mother`s life, although it is possible that an exception may be made in future cases of rape and incest. [12] Doctors who have performed an abortion face up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $100,000. [12] Laws modeled on Texas SB 8, the self-defense justice bill that went into effect in September 2021. These laws prohibit abortion at an early gestational age and are enforced through private rights of action that allow members of the public to sue abortion providers and those who help others access abortion care. Abortion is legal in Illinois for up to 24 weeks. Parental consent is not required for minors, but a guardian over 21 years of age must be informed, unless revoked by a judge in special cases. [21] Illinois has 40 facilities that can perform abortions in 2017.
[22] Even in states with wider access to legal abortion, pregnant women may still face many restrictions and barriers to accessing services, such as cost, biased counseling, and mandatory waiting periods. WHO has issued technical guidelines for countries to identify and remove these barriers. Criminalization and restrictive abortion laws prevent health care providers from doing their job properly and providing their patients with the best care options consistent with good medical practice and professional ethical responsibilities. New York is known in the United States as a reproductive refuge. This means that abortion is legal and is considered health care by the state. There are approximately 252 facilities in New York that perform abortions. [47] In 2019, New York codified abortion laws and protections into state law.