A new Texas abortion bill went into effect at the beginning of September, becoming the latest state in the U.S. to introduce a near-total abortion ban.
In 2019, restrictive abortion laws became commonplace in the U.S., with 15 states introducing, moving or enacting a six-week abortion ban, according to the Guttmacher Institute. A six-week ban is a typical time frame for states with the most restrictive abortions laws, such as Georgia or Ohio. These bills do not entirely outlaw abortion, but do ban abortion before most people even realize they are pregnant. According to the Texas Tribune, more than 80% of abortions in Texas occurred after six-week mark.
The Texas abortion bill does not allow exceptions for rape or incest, even after six-weeks
Similar to previous abortion bills, politicians and citizens alike criticized it, and for good reason. The near-total ban of abortion is dangerous and not backed by research. The banning of abortion does not prevent people from getting abortions; it simply causes people to seek out more dangerous methods of terminating a pregnancy. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), between 2015 and 2019, roughly 73.3 million abortions took place each year worldwide. One in every three of these abortions were done in “least safe or dangerous conditions.” And, between 4.7% and 13.2% of maternal deaths each year are caused by unsafe abortions. Between 2010 and 2014, 45% of all abortions were unsafe, mostly in developing countries.
WHO states, “almost every abortion death and disability could be prevented through sexuality education, use of effective contraception, provision of safe, legal induced abortion, and timely care for complications.” WHO also says that abortion is largely safe when done by a professional.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, the legality of abortion does not change how often it occurs. African countries tend to have restrictive abortion laws, while European countries have less restrictive ones, and the abortion rate is roughly the same, 29% and 28%, respectively. The lowest rates of abortion occur in Western and Northern Europe, where abortions are widely available.
To summarize, individuals will seek out abortions regardless of its legal status, and abortions performed by non-professionals in a region where they are illegal could result in dangerous consequences. The new Texas law puts people in danger, it does not help them.
The way to achieve fewer abortions is not to make them illegal; it is to make them legal. Pairing access to quality contraceptives and good sex education with legal abortions is the only way to minimize the number of abortions while also protecting the health of individuals.
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