For those wanting to arrange a safe and legal abortion in the US, the task is not as simple as you might think or hope. There are many barriers in the way, and those obstacles can seem far too hard to overcome. This can lead to unwanted pregnancies or even dangerous situations for the mother. Read on for some more information about this.
Some States Have Entirely Banned Abortion
For some women, it’s easier than for others to get an abortion. It will depend on their state because some have banned abortion altogether, some have placed very early limits on the gestational age, and some have no limits (or many later ones). If you live in one of these latter states, such as North Carolina or Florida, it is easier to access an abortion than it would be in a state such as Alabama, where abortion is illegal no matter what the situation – even if the pregnancy was a result of rape or incest – and a doctor found to be performing abortions could be jailed.
It is possible to travel to a different state or country to obtain an abortion, so that option is still available to women. That said, some states have attempted to enact laws that criminalize women who travel out of their state where abortion is illegal to a different state where it is legal to get the procedure. Although no state has managed to implement this law yet successfully, it’s something that may change in the future and thus needs to be monitored carefully.
There Aren’t Enough Clinics
The US is a massive country with a population of 332 million. Yet there are not enough clinics to help everyone. In fact, there are 27 large cities in the US that are located more than one hundred miles away from an abortion clinic and six states with only one clinic, which shows just how difficult it can be for some women to find the help they need.
There Are Many Restrictions
As mentioned above, some states have banned abortion altogether, which sent ripples not only across the US but the whole world; many abortion providers and experts worldwide have voiced their say on the matter – even as far as clinics in Australia thousands of miles away, like those at gcaus.com.au. That said, not all states have branded the procedure completely illegal; many have put restrictions in place, such as a gestational limit of six weeks, which is before many women even realize they are pregnant in the first place.
Furthermore, these are not the only restrictions. In some areas, the local governments have put additional limits in place for abortion clinics. For instance, some of these restrictions are questionably bizarre; they demand a certain size of a hallway or a specific number of parking spaces, and so on. This is ostensibly meant to be linked to patient safety, but many believe that these strange measures are simply there to prevent the clinics from being able to do their job.
Plus, there were 42 other restrictions placed on abortions between January and May 2019, which include teenagers needing parental consent and limiting some procedures.
What Is The Outcome?
Banning and restricting access to abortion will not stop women from getting the procedure. All it will do is make them resort to less sanitary and much more dangerous “backstreet” options. This could cause many more deaths and injuries.
Figures suggest that around 47,000 women die each year due to seeking a non-regulated abortion, and sadly, the US has the highest maternal mortality rate of any of the world’s most developed nations. For additional info about this, you can also check online.
