The 17 states that ban abortion after 20 weeks make exceptions to protect the life or health of the woman. But doctors and reproductive health advocates worry such exceptions are so vague or narrow that abortion providers are unlikely to invoke them — especially if they fear they could be charged with a crime.
In a country that has long lagged its peers in maternal mortality, many reproductive health providers warn that stricter abortion laws are likely to make the situation worse — especially for Black women, who die of pregnancy-related causes at nearly three times the rate of white women.
“Doctors have said it puts them in an untenable position where they have to base decisions on their legal liability, which shouldn’t be a consideration at all,” said Shaina Goodman, director for reproductive health and rights at the National Partnership for Women and Families. “At what point is the life of the mother at risk, when she’s coding on the table?”
