Later abortion decisions: rights at risk

Rebecca Cohen's account of ending her wanted pregnancy in the second trimester is yet another example of why later term abortion should remain available to all women. The proposed 20-week ban recently defeated in the US Senate aims to prevent women like Rebecca from accessing the care that they need. Diagnosis of a fetal abnormality often does not take place until a screening that occurs during the second trimester of pregnancy, often leaving women with very little time in which to make a difficult decision. Although, as Rebecca points out, fewer than 1% of abortions take place after 20 weeks, a ban on abortion after this date would leave those women without safe and legal options for their pregnancies and families.

References:

Cohen, R. (2015) Why I had an abortion after 20 weeks. Washington Post

Photography:

Jake Crandall/For The Washington Post