Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court during June of 2022. It was major news, but the amount of coverage also led to some fear and confusion about the laws across the country.
Here are two facts to know about the recent overturn of Roe v. Wade to help you separate fact from fiction.
1. Abortion Is Not Banned Nationwide.
When Roe v. Wade was overturned, it did not ban abortion nationwide. Instead, the power to create and change abortion laws was transferred to state governments.
Now, voters will decide the abortion laws by electing local representatives that either support or oppose abortion. Every state now has unique abortion laws, or is working to decide what their laws will be.
Indiana is one of the states in the process of deciding.
Indiana lawmakers presented a new abortion law restricting abortion after 13 weeks of pregnancy. Judges have blocked it while lawsuits against it have proceeded. In the meantime, abortion is currently banned after 22 weeks of pregnancy.
2. Women Can Receive Life-Saving Treatments.
After Roe v. Wade was overturned, there were many false alarms about losing access to life-saving treatments.
No matter the changes in abortion laws, women do have access to ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage treatments. These are outside of the definition of abortion. In both circumstances the pregnancy is non-viable and could endanger the woman.
States do have exceptions for abortion in cases where the life of the woman is endangered, including Texas, which has restrictive abortion laws.
If Indiana’s 13-week ban goes into effect after being reviewed by the Indiana Supreme Court, it will include exceptions for the life and health of the woman.
Navigating Post-Roe Indiana
The changing laws in our state can cause feelings of uncertainty, but know your life is protected no matter what.
If you’re experiencing an unexpected pregnancy, we can help.
We offer no-cost pregnancy testing and ultrasounds to help confirm a viable and progressing pregnancy. We can also provide STD/STI testing to protect your sexual health.
Schedule a free and confidential appointment today!
Please note: A Hope Center does not provide or refer for abortions.