Defining The Term
Oxford Languages defines the term, abortion, as “the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy”. What this definition fails to mention is that the termination of a pregnancy is also the termination of a human life– the life of the child developing inside his or her mother’s womb. Understanding what an abortion is brings clarity to this controversial issue.
It is also important to clarify what an abortion is not. The term, “spontaneous abortion”, is a medical term used to describe what is more commonly referred to as a miscarriage. Miscarriage is the “natural and often unexplained death of a gestating baby”. Referring to a natural miscarriage as a “spontaneous abortion” is misleading, because abortion is a deliberate action intended to terminate a human life, while miscarriage is a natural and unintentional death of a human life. Watch this video that explains the difference between elective and spontaneous abortions.
Care for an ectopic pregnancy is also not considered an abortion. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside of the uterus, most often in the fallopian tube. Ectopic pregnancies can be extremely dangerous for the mother, and can even threaten her life if not treated properly and promptly. An ectopic pregnancy is not viable, meaning that the embryo will not survive and treatments are done only to preserve the mother’s life. This is not an abortion, because the improper implantation was responsible for the child’s death, not the intentional action of an abortionist.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation stating that under an abortion ban, women would not be able to receive proper care for ectopic pregnancies or miscarriages. The truth is that treatments for miscarriage care or ectopic pregnancy are legal in every state, regardless of the state’s abortion laws. In fact, pro-life laws “specifically exclude these life-saving procedures”. Take our state of Indiana, for example. Senate Bill 1, which went into effect in Indiana in August 2023, specifically states this:
“SB 1 does not affect access to the morning-after pill or any other method of birth control, does not affect treatment of miscarriages, does not affect treatment of ectopic pregnancies, and does not affect in-vitro fertilization procedures.”
Ectopic pregnancy falls under the “medical emergency” exception in abortion bans. This article outlines the abortion laws in each state and points out where each law makes exceptions for medical emergencies. “Life of the mother” exceptions are always present in state abortion laws, and most laws specifically clarify that ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage are not legally considered abortions.
Is the fetus a human/person?
One aspect of what makes abortion so controversial is the disagreement over whether the fetus in the womb is a human being with personhood and equal rights under the law.
What happens during an abortion?
The abortion procedure used is dependent on the stage of the woman’s pregnancy. Abortions can be chemical (medical), surgical, or late-term (induction).
1st Trimester Abortion
The 1st trimester is comprised of the first 3 months of pregnancy, from conception to 12 weeks. During the 1st trimester, an abortion may be chemical (medical) or surgical.
The Abortion Pill: a non-surgical form of abortion in which the woman takes pills containing Mifepristone (RU-486) and Misoprostol (or Cytotec) to end the life of the baby.
*FDA-approved for use up to 10 weeks.
Effects of the abortion pill can be reversed! Read this article to learn more about abortion pill reversal.
Suction (Aspiration) D & C: a procedure in which a suction catheter is inserted into the mother’s uterus to extract the preborn baby. Tools are then used to scrape the lining of the uterus to remove any remaining parts.
*Typically performed between 5 & 13 weeks LMP (Last Menstrual Period)
2nd Trimester Abortion
The 2nd trimester is comprised of months 4-6 of pregnancy, from weeks 13 to 27. During the 2nd trimester, an abortion is done surgically.
Dilation and Evacuation (D & E): a surgical abortion procedure during which an abortionist first dilates the woman’s cervix and then uses instruments to dismember and extract the baby from the uterus.
*Typically performed between 13 & 24 weeks LMP
3rd Trimester Abortion
The 3rd trimester is comprised of months 7-9 of pregnancy, from weeks 28 to 40+. During the 3rd trimester, an abortion is done by inducing labor.
Induction: the abortionist injects a substance into the baby’s heart that causes cardiac arrest, and induces the mother’s labor to deliver her baby stillborn.
*Typically performed between 25 weeks LMP to term
Where are abortions performed?
Abortions may take place in hospitals, private physician practices, or in abortion clinics, like Planned Parenthood. In Q1 of 2023 in Indiana, nearly 1,900 abortions were performed in clinics, like Planned Parenthood Bloomington, and 48 were performed in acute care hospitals. Certain states have laws, like Indiana’s Senate Bill 1, that have terminated the licensure of abortion clinics, so abortions can only be performed under certain circumstances in licensed hospitals. In Q1 of 2024, after Indiana’s abortion ban went into effect, the number of abortions significantly decreased to 45 and were only performed in acute care hospitals.
In states where abortion is legal in any facility, Planned Parenthood is the leader in abortion services. Between 2021-2022, Planned Parenthood facilities committed 392,715 abortions.
Is abortion legal?
On June 24, 2022, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court Case Roe v. Wade was overturned in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, when the Court ruled that the U.S. Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. The Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson didn’t outlaw abortion from our nation completely – it turned the decision on abortion legality back over to the states. As of June 2024, abortion is legal in 36 U.S. states. Read this article to learn which states have bans on abortion.
Indiana Law
Indiana is one of the leading pro-life states in the nation. Our state government was one of the first to compose legislation banning abortion after Roe v. Wade was overturned.
As of August 21, 2023, abortion is illegal in Indiana under SB 1, with a few exceptions:
- If the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest up to 10 weeks post-fertilization
- If the child is diagnosed with a lethal fetal anomaly so long as the abortion occurs prior to viability or 20 weeks post-fertilization
- To protect the life or physical health of the mother at any stage of pregnancy (This law does not affect treatments for miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.)
All abortions must be performed at a hospital or ambulatory surgical center owned by a hospital.
Read Indiana Right to Life’s synopsis of the law here.
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Right to Life of North Central Indiana is concerned about protecting the unborn baby from conception while supporting her mother. RTL of NCI works to promote a pro-life culture that respects and protects all human life in North Central Indiana. We support and partner with pregnancy resource centers and other community resources that provide the physical and emotional support women and men need to choose life.
Further Reading