In the 1973 case of Roe vs. Wade, our Supreme Court ruled it is a woman's right to have an abortion until the time a fetus is viable. It defined viability as the ability of a fetus to live outside the womb. The Court said this usually occurs between 24 and 28 weeks after conception. Between 1973 and 2008, nearly 50 million American fetuses were legally aborted. About 90% of these abortions were performed during the first trimester, or prior to the 13th week of gestation. The main reasons women give for having an abortion included their inability to afford a child (75%) and that having a baby would interfere with school or work (75%). Health problems were responsible for 12% of these decisions and about 1% of women who chose to end their pregnancy reported they were the survivors of rape. There were 623,471 abortions reported in 2016.

Pro-life advocates want all abortions outlawed because Row vs. Wade does not take into account the welfare of the unborn. They claim life begins at conception and aborting a fetus is comparable to murdering a person. Pro-choice advocates claim life does not begin until very late in gestation, or even until birth. They do not believe abortion takes the life of a person. They say only a woman knows if she is a ready to become a parent and that abortion helps ensure the birth of children who are wanted. Pro-life and pro-choice advocates also disagree as to whether a woman's right to make this decision is protected by the Constitution.

Pending Legislation: H.R.18 - No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2021
Sponsor: Rep. Christopher Smith (NJ)
Status: House Subcommittee on Health (Energy and Commerce)
Chair Rep. Ana Eshoo (CA)

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