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Should a woman be forced to give birth even if the pregnancy is a major health risk? Should a woman be forced to give birth even if she is a victim of rape or incest? 9 States in the U.S. say, "Yes."
Abortion rights in America are at risk. The lives and health of women are under threat all over the country. If action is not taken to correct course, it is possible that this could become a nightmarish reality for all 50 states.
It doesn't help that the U.S. has the highest maternal death rate among developed nations, with 23.8 deaths per 100,000 live births. And the death rate for black women in America is double that, at 55.3 deaths per 100,000 live births (Commonwealth Fund).
Ever since Roe v. Wade was struck down in the Supreme Court, more states in America have been enacting either a total ban against abortion or limiting it severely.
There are now several states that have no exceptions for rape or incest, this includes Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas. And this number of states is growing.
West Virginia has enacted a total ban on abortion and claims its pre-Roe criminal abortion ban is enforceable although the ban is currently enjoined.
The Bible has no direct quotes about abortion. That is a fact. The American Evangelical Christian community took absolutely no interest in abortion until the beginning of right wing political activity within its operations in the 1980s. Are we to believe that Jesus was confused about abortion until the 1980s and just forgot to mention it until it was politically convenient? This is very shaky theology.
On the other hand, both the old and the new testaments repeatedly talk about social justice for the poor, a subject being ignored by so many self described Christians on the political right.
Some have suggested that the theology of today's anti-abortion movement is that life begins at conception and ends at birth. This is because many of these same people who support a total ban on abortion have not put forth any social programs to take care of children living in poverty or foster care.
In the U.S., these groups have also shown a total lack of concern for maternal health and safety, as well as health and safety for all the American people. As mentioned above, America in the developed world is the deadliest place for a woman to give birth and America is the only modern state that does not regard health care as a right. Indeed America in 2023 is far inferior to imperial Germany in 1890 in terms of the right to healthcare of all people.
No religious doctrine directly states that a woman should be forced to give birth to the child of her rapist. Nor should a woman be forced to give birth in a situation that could kill both the mother and the child. This isn't a question of faith. This is a question of sick ideas.
There is a very real threat of a national ban against the freedom and availability of the abortion pill. Over half of U.S. abortions are done with pills. What this means is that over half of abortions in the U.S. could be shut down altogether.
If this happens, it could force millions of Americans seeking abortions to undergo operations, carry unwanted pregnancies to term, not have access to miscarriage care, and more. This is already the case for women who can get pregnant in the states with a total abortion ban, but this could be a terrifying reality for the entire country.
On April 21st, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked lower court decisions banning or limiting the FDA-approved use of the abortion pill mifepristone. But the justices have left the case in the hands of the conservative Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals panel in New Orleans, which has scheduled arguments on the case for May 17.
If the court confirms the ban, the matter will then go to the Supreme Court for a final decision.
It's time to take action on this issue.
Support the Center for Reproductive Rights, the plantiff in the case mentioned above.
Sign Planned Parenthood's petition here: Tell our courts: Save mifepristone! Donate to Planned Parenthood here.
Check out Planned Parenthood Action's Top actions and Events
Donate to ACLU to help them continue fighting for abortion rights here: Defend the Rights of All People Nationwide
Check out the website of NARAL to donate or volunteer.
You can also sign up to mailing list of these organizations.
Disclaimer: We don't claim that these organizations are the only ones fighting for women's rights. But they are just some key organizations that we thought it would be important to list for our readers.
Organizations to Support
Center for Reproductive Rights
See Abortion Laws by State
After Roe Fell: Abortion Laws by State (Center for Reproductive Rights)
An Overview of Abortion Laws (Guttmacher Institute, 4-24-23)
See where abortions are banned and legal — and where it’s still in limbo (CNN, 5-3-23)
Abortion Law Map from The New York Times (New York Times, 5-5-23)
Abortion Ban News
North Dakota GOP Approves Near-Total Abortion Ban After Rejecting Free School Lunches (Common Dreams, 4-25-23)
Because of Florida abortion laws, she carried her baby to term knowing he would die (CNN, 5-2-23)
Abortion Pill News
Abortion pill case to be heard by conservative, anti-abortion panel (Reuters, 5-8-23)
Supreme Court blocks lower court decision in case on FDA approval of abortion pill (NPR, 4-21-23)
An Abortion Pill Could Soon Be Banned Nationwide (ACLU, 2-9-23)
Over half of U.S. abortions done with pills, survey finds (NBC News, 2-24-22)
U.S. Maternal Death Rate
Health and Health Care for Women of Reproductive Age (The Commonwealth Fund)
Study of wealthy nations finds American women most likely to die of preventable causes, pregnancy complications (CNN, 4-5-22)