Abortion in the United States

The main unresolved issue is over the date of viability of the fetus. Currently Roe v. Wade doesn’t permit abortions after about 23 weeks except in certain circumstances per a 1972 Supreme Court ruling. The issue is over states reducing it to fewer weeks. If the Supreme Court sets a viable date it would further encroach on the 10th Amendment. But even in the unlikely case Roe v. Wade were overturned, the states would pass their own abortion laws. Shorting the viability period, would have little impact on the number of abortions since less than 1% of abortions take place after 23-26 weeks and 92.7% of abortions take place within 13 weeks per the CDC. Also polls show that most people favor having a viability of the fetus standard.

Whatever the Supreme Court decides, it will have a tremendous political impact but almost no impact on the number of abortions performed in the United States. For the small percent of woman that would delay a decision beyond 23 to 26 weeks, the government, Planned Parenthood or others could help woman without the means to travel to another state with a longer viability time. As with gay rights, most states would fall in line.

Ed Kahl

Woodside