Biden needs to instruct the FDA to move ahead quickly on making the abortion pill over the counter. The abortion pill is safer than continuing a pregnancy, and the worst thing that can happen if taken not as instructed is that the pregnancy continues, with the fetus unharmed. This should have happened 20 years ago. If it had, early pregnancy termination without government interference would have become the standard throughout the US long ago.
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Every state is different- I think most are not going after the woman, but if she was going across state lines and had the pills with her, I’m sure they could confiscate them. The Texas reporting law is they type of law that could go after you or anyone else who helps her in any way. Buy the plane ticket, come and get her, pay for the pills. If my daughter was in Texas at school I would be worried. That law really isolates women when they need support the most.
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Agreed, @parentologist. Close to 90% of abortions in the US occur in the first trimester, and thus are eligible to use plan C. Only about half do so, however. Improving the awareness of that option and access to it would be a practical way to address most situations. I read that only 3 states ( Nevada, SC, and I think OK) impose criminal liability for self-managed medication abortions, and even there it would be hard to enforce.
The district attorneys in the most populated counties in Texas already announced they would not prosecute abortion-related matters against individuals.
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How do you educate everyone on those effective means? Not everyone has a willing parent to do it. Many schools are not going to teach it. Not everyone can UNDERSTAND how to use a BC device. To ask for it, you have to admit that you are or likely to be sexually active - for many girls or guys, it’s a secret.
You know all those hours of college orientation students (and parents) sit through? One or more of those hours should be face to face time explaining all the types of health/BC/counseling/pregnancy/sexual activity resources available to a student in their new college community. It may be the most important “prep” for college many students need.
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Most Americans are sexually active before they reach college age, per Wikipedia. Effective sex education needs to occur much earlier.
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For reference, here are some resources for options addressed in the posts above:
-Plan B (emergency contraception med/“morning after pill”) https://www.planbonestep.com/
-Plan C (abortifacient) https://www.plancpills.org/ Merrick Garland said yesterday that states can not ban access to Plan C meds because they have FDA (federal) approval. As @parentologist posted, many are advocating the FDA allow OTC access for these products.
-ACOG’s position paper on making hormonal birth control OTC: Over-the-Counter Access to Hormonal Contraception | ACOG. I don’t see that ACOG has addressed OTC access to Plan C meds, but they were supportive/advocated for removing the in-person dispensing requirement (which was lifted last year).
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For sure! But that doesn’t mean they have received the correct resources and information. We don’t always have to only run a plan for the majority. Sexual activity will be a common activity on campus. Why not prepare as much for that as we do for drinking or drug use?
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I agree, it should be included in college orientation as well. Most college women seem well aware of resources by now, judging from my online feed, but repeating the information is always a good idea. Those not attending college need it too.
Only 10% of abortions are performed on teens. The most common age group is 20s, followed by 30s, and most women having an abortion already have one living child. Ease of access and cost issues might be more important to them than information.
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The New York Times reports that Planned Parenthood locations in Wisconsin (including in Madison) have stopped providing abortions due to a 19-century law, never repealed, that outlaws the procedure. Some DAs in the state are saying they won’t enforce the law, but I really doubt any clinic or doctor will rely on that. A similar situation is playing out in Michigan. College students need to understand the full legal landscape. This is not just about states with trigger laws or recent bans.
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I think that some of the anti-abortion States are rethinking their laws now that the Supreme Court ruling has been issued
I also think that a few States will pass even more Draconian laws against abortion, such as making it a crime to leave the State for an abortion. They may also make it a crime for anyone who aids or abets that effort.
Yes, I have heard what the President said and I’ve read what some companies say that they will do. Do these companies have any offices or stores in the States with these laws. What will be the consequence of that.
What happens to a woman who leaves Texas (as an example) to get an abortion in California. How will Texas know? I’ll assume that there will be laws giving them that info. So, Texas issues an arrest warrant and it goes to Court. Texas may even issue a fine against any person or Company that aids this effort, and that goes to court. Eventually it ends up in the Supreme Court (maybe as soon as next year). Does anyone want to give odds on how that Court will rule?
I do not intend to start any type of political debate. I am just trying to show that this can get VERY complicated.
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I wonder whether college students would be better off keeping their permanent residence in their parents’ state if that state’s abortion laws are more lenient. By permanent residence, I mean not changing voting registration and that kind of thing.
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Hypotheticals about laws that are not currently enacted arent really helpful. The Texas reporting law currently enacted, (which I oppose), extends liability to those assisting in or providing an abortion, not on the woman actually having one. The intent was to go after abortion providers, not those getting abortions. Nowhere in Texas is there criminal liability for actually having an abortion at this point. Another practical reason for self-managed medication abortions.
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The GA law also requires a police report to get an abortion after 6 weeks due to rape or incest.
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Depends what state the teen is in. And, yes, crazy is the word for it.
In around 2018 there were news stories about laws in Ohio and Indiana that explicitly barred a teen from getting an epidural during labor and delivery without a parent’s consent. The AMA came out strongly against those laws and also urged any state without applicable protections in place to pass legislation allowing teens to consent for their own prenatal care through delivery.
I had edited my earlier post to include this resource regarding state by state parental consent laws, including those for prenatal care. The 10 minute rule on this thread bars editing after posting, so it may have been removed.
It looks like North Dakota still explicitly bars a teen from consenting to her own medical care during the third trimester and beyond. There may be others — depends how a state defines prenatal care:
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So now we have to trust congress to protect women?
I tossed and turned over this thread last night, and I really (really!) feel for a parent of a college student today who is going to or heading to one of these insane states!
This entire overturn of Roe v. Wade has me sick to my stomach. I am reaching out to every one of my nieces and nephews (we have 8 under 25 in the US) letting them know that we can be counted on for help and support if needed.
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I expect many pro-life state legislatures to start banning those topics at public institutions, along the lines of Florida’s “don’t say gay” bill and all the laws banning teaching of critical race theory and slavery/racism/black history.
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Good point. Maybe another reason to carefully consider geographic location when choosing colleges.
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Lizelle Herrera was arrested Thursday and taken to the Starr County jail in Rio Grande City, along the Rio Grande and the country’s southern border with Mexico. In a statement to the AP, the local sheriff’s office said that Herrera was charged after “intentionally and knowingly causing the death of an individual by self-induced abortion,” without providing details of which legal statute she had violated.
Yes, and that prosecutor immediately dropped charges and stated there is no criminal liability, it was a wrongful arrest. If the Post didnt include that, it is disgraceful. We have enough real problems without making some up.
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