Abortion In US 101: Important Facts, History And Guidelines You Should Know

Abortion is a basic healthcare need for millions of people who can get pregnant and is a safe procedure when performed by a trained medical professional.

Here are some facts about abortion everyone should know.

Abortion is a constitutional right

The Supreme Court affirmed that access to abortion was a constitutional right in 1973 in its Roe v. Wade decision, protecting safe, legal abortions for people across the country.

About 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in abortion each year

Regardless of whether a country has made abortion legal or restricts it, ending a pregnancy is a decision that millions of people make every year. Global estimates from the World Health Organization and Guttmacher Institute suggested that about one in every four pregnancies end in abortion every year.

Arkansas has a near-total abortion ban

Just this year, the state of Arkansas became the first to enact a near-total ban on abortion, making no exceptions for cases such as rape, incest or fetal anomalies. The Arkansas bill, SB6, bans providers from performing abortions "except to save the life of a pregnant woman in a medical emergency," CNN reported. Violators could also face a fine of up to $100,000 or 10 years in prison.

WHO's definition of unsafe abortions

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines unsafe abortion as “a procedure for terminating an unintended pregnancy carried out either by persons lacking the necessary skills or in an environment that does not conform to minimal medical standards or both.”

The majority of unsafe abortions occur in developing countries

About 7 million women are admitted to hospitals every year due to unsafe abortions, according to WHO. In Latin America and Africa, the majority of all abortions are unsafe.

In Alabama, abortion is banned from the time the woman is known to be pregnant

Doctors found to have performed abortion could face up to 99 years in prison. The state also does not have exceptions for cases such as rape and incest. Aside from Alabama, the states of Georgia and Mississippi have also banned abortion and do not allow exceptions for rape and incest.

Missouri bans abortion at 8 weeks

Similar to Alabama, Missouri has banned abortions at 8 weeks, with no exceptions for rape and incest. According to Planned Parenthood, Missouri has a maternal mortality rate that is 50% higher than that of the U.S.

Physician and hospital requirements for abortions done in the U.S.

Thirty-eight states require an abortion to be performed by a licensed physician, while 17 states require the involvement of a second physician after a specified point to ensure safety in the procedure.

State-mandated counseling

Thirty-three states require that women receive counseling before an abortion is performed. The topics discussed in counseling include the purported link between abortion and breast cancer, the ability of a fetus to feel pain and long-term mental health consequences for the pregnant person.