One provision would have required all abortions after 12 weeks gestation to occur in hospitals. The other provision would have required doctors to confirm a mother's pregnancy before prescribing abortion-inducing drugs.
North Carolina's “Care for Women, Children, and Families Act” passed in May allows abortion until 12 weeks gestation. It includes exceptions for rape and incest up to 20 weeks gestation, and it allows abortion in cases of "life-limiting" fetal anomalies during the first 24 weeks. It allows abortion at any stage if the mother's life is in danger.
Lawmakers argued in a brief that the law protects women from abortion businesses that would unsafely prescribe abortion-inducing drugs without first ruling out conditions such as ectopic pregnancy. A mother with an ectopic pregnancy is at great risk of hemorrhage if she takes the abortion pill regimen.
Further, the lawmakers argued that abortion businesses are often unable to handle the life-threatening complications that can occur during surgical abortions after 12 weeks gestation. Women with post-abortion complications are often transported to hospitals to address these injuries.
Operation Rescue often documents incidents when women are hospitalized after surgical abortions at abortion businesses. Many of the more recent incidents were documented at abortion businesses in Illinois.
Judge Eagles's injunction will remain in effect while Planned Parenthood's legal challenge to the “Care for Women, Children, and Families Act” continues.
