Implications of Georgia's 20-Week Abortion Ban

Am J Public Health. 2015 Aug;105(8):e77-82. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2015.302728. Epub 2015 Jun 11.

Abstract

Objectives: We sought to understand more about women affected by a law enacted in January 2013 that led Georgia providers to stop providing abortion services at 24 weeks from a woman's last menstrual period (LMP), and who would be affected if Georgia enforces the law banning abortions at 22 weeks from LMP.

Methods: We obtained data on women obtaining abortions at or after 20 weeks from LMP in 2012 and 2013 from 4 Georgia facilities providing later abortion care. We analyzed data descriptively and with the χ (2) test.

Results: More than half of the women were Black; one fourth were White. Close to half of the women had education beyond high school and a similar proportion had a previous live birth. Eighty-three percent of women at or after 24 weeks came from the South, 4% from the Northeast, and 13% from the Midwest; 99% of those at 20 to 24 weeks were from the South. One third of women at or after 24 weeks and half at 20 to 24 weeks were Georgia residents.

Conclusions: These bans will likely affect women throughout the South, as well as the Midwest and Northeast.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Abortion, Legal / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Abortion, Legal / statistics & numerical data
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Black or African American / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Georgia / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Trimester, Second
  • United States / epidemiology
  • White People / statistics & numerical data
  • Young Adult