The Possible Consequences of Abortion Bans in the U.S.
In 2019, the CDC reported a total of 629,898 of legal abortions in the United States. Despite public opinion on abortion, depending on where you are in the United States, southern states do have consistent rates. For example, in Georgia, for every 1,000 women aged 15–44, there were 17 legal abortions, a rate that trumps blue states like New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Delaware.
In 2013, The Boston Medical Center Women’s Health Unit surveyed 954 women who had received a safe and legal abortion, asking them the reasons for seeking out the procedure. Many people believe that women seek abortions for “unimportant reasons.” Women should not have to justify a valid reason as their decision should concern only them and their loved ones. However, there are a handful of “valid” reasons that a woman might seek out abortion. The chart below shows that many women seek out abortion services for financial reasons, health reasons, or partner-related reasons.
The World Health Organization defines the difference between a safe abortion, a less safe abortion, and a least safe abortion.
Safe abortion: “performed by a trained health worker using a WHO-recommended method, appropriate to the pregnancy duration.
Less safe abortion: “either performed by a trained provider using an unsafe or outdated method such as sharp curettage, or by an untrained person albeit using a safe method
Least safe abortions: “provided by untrained persons using dangerous methods, such as introduction of foreign objects and use of herbal concoctions. Can also include incomplete abortions, haemorrhage, vaginal, cervical and uterine injury, and infections.
According to a study from the Lancet, from 20120–2014, North America had the smallest amount of unsafe abortions. This can be credited to the vast amount of available services that were protected by the Roe v Wade Supreme Court ruling, made in 1973. In undeveloped and developing regions, the rate of unsafe and illegal abortions is much higher, accounting for over 50% of all abortions in some areas like the Africa and South America. This is the consequence that women face when they are from an area that does not offer safe and legal abortion services.
In June 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, allowing each state to decide on their own abortions laws. 26 of the 50 US states had stated prior to the repeal, that they plan to move toward banning abortion. Since the repeal of Roe v Wade, some states, like New York and California have vowed to expand services in order to help women who are coming from states with immediate restrictions. Unfortunately, women could possibly lose their right to abortion in more than half of the 50 U.S. states.
This ruling will disproportionately affect minorities in America. In 2019, the CDC reported that 67% of that years abortion services were provided to non-white individuals. In 21st-century America, there is already a handful of laws that disproportionately affect minority communities. The overturning of Roe v Wade is just one more obstacle for BIPOC individuals in America.
Despite the impending ban on abortions in various parts of the country, a survey conducted by Pew Research in March 2022 tells us that 61% of Americans believe abortion should be legal in most cases with either no exception or some exceptions. If more than half of Americans believe that abortion services should be available in all or most cases, why did the Supreme Court overturn the ruling? This November, more than ever before, women must vote to help protect their right to abortions. At every level of government, candidates are taking their stance on abortion rights and whether or not they will help in the fight to keep reproductive healthcare a protected right. It is up to Americans to make the right choice in voting this November to see any positive move back toward available abortions across the board.
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