There May Soon Be No Place Left in the South for Abortions After the First Trimester

[marmar]

The state of Louisiana often wins the prize when it comes to "most pro-life state" on anti-abortion legislative lists. This year, they may be in the running again. Two major abortion restrictions have passed the legislature -- one extending the state's waiting period between the first clinic visit and actually receiving an abortion from 24 hours to 72 hours, the second banning the method by which almost all abortions after the first trimester are done. Louisiana's ban on dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortions isn't the first to hit the nation, which is part of what makes this ban so dangerous. As connecting states continue to pass this law, the ability to access any abortions after the first trimester may completely disappear for women in certain parts of the US.

The D&E abortion ban essentially makes it illegal to perform any abortion in which the cervix is dilated and forceps or other instruments are used to remove the fetus in any way that isn't all in one piece. It is a procedure that is used in most abortions after about 15 weeks, when the fetus is no longer small enough to just be removed through the cannula using suction. The ban was first introduced in Kansas, where it was signed into law and then blocked by the courts, and later in Oklahoma where the same occurred. West Virginia also passed it, and there has so far been no legal challenge, but the law does not go into effect until the end of May.

Recently, a number of states passed the law within weeks of each other: Mississippi, Alabama and then finally, Louisiana. The passage of the ban in Mississippi was mostly ignored because the state's only provider doesn't offer second trimester abortions. The Alabama bill was overshadowed by another piece of legislation that forbids abortion clinics within 2000 feet of a school -- a bill which could close the two clinics that perform the vast majority of abortions in the state. And now Louisiana has passed its own, which the governor is expected to sign.

Alabama's law won't go into effect until August 1st, and it's unclear when Louisiana's would be implemented, but if all three state abortion laws are enforced, the move would leave a path of states all along the Gulf Coast where it would be impossible to obtain an abortion once a patient is past the first trimester. Everyone between Houston or Dallas Texas and Atlanta, Georgia would need to travel to one of those cities if their pregnancies advanced beyond 14 weeks, leaving a literal 800 mile stretch without any second trimester services. ..............(more)

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/36175-there-may-soon-be-no-place-left-in-the-south-for-abortions-after-the-first-trimester

[gollygee]

1. And there are other restrictions that make it very difficult to get one in the first trimester

It takes time to raise the money necessary to jump through all the hoops required to get an abortion. And by the time you get the money together, you won't be able to get one anyway.

This is how you outlaw abortion without getting rid of Roe v. Wade, and this is one of the MANY reasons why we need a progressive SCOTUS.

[Greybnk48]

2. The legality reproductive freedom for women is a federal law.

If Southern States break the law or refuse to comply, cut their fucking money across the board. Period.

[onecaliberal]

3. Where are the attorneys rushing to protect their civil rights? I guess those guys

Are only interested in the religious bigots.

[Greybnk48]

4. Good question. I am so sick of these half-wit

teabagger governors pulling this crap with no consequences.