Can a woman get an abortion at 28 weeks or beyond? Third trimester abortion, sometimes referred to as a late-term abortion, is highly controversial. Even some people who support a woman's right to choose an abortion early in her pregnancy are opposed to third trimester abortion.
The Abortion Debate
When discussing abortion, it's important to remember that the vast majority of abortions occur within the first trimester of pregnancy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Abortion Surveillance Report estimates that over 90 percent of all abortions happen within the first trimester, with the majority happening before eight weeks gestation. The earlier an abortion is performed, the safer the procedure will be. The risk of complications increases the further along a woman is into her pregnancy, although the procedure is still generally no more dangerous than childbirth itself.
Second Trimester Abortion
In the second trimester, abortions most often occur because the woman misjudged the date of conception, didn't realize she was pregnant immediately, or needed time to raise the money for the procedure. Another reason a woman may decide to have a second trimester abortion is that the baby was found to have severe anatomic or genetic abnormalities. The second trimester of pregnancy is from 14 weeks gestation through 27 weeks gestation, with most abortions occurring between 14 and 20 weeks.
Third Trimester Abortion
Third trimester abortion is very rare and generally only performed when the fetus suffers from a severe abnormality or in the event that continuing the pregnancy would endanger the life or health of the mother. It is estimated that about 1.3 percent of all abortions performed in the United States occur during the third trimester, although the CDC's Abortion Surveillance Report does not determine exact gestational age for abortions performed after pregnancy calendar week 20.
Abortion Law in the United States
In the United States, Roe v. Wade is the Supreme Court case that set the precedent for abortion law. The court said a woman's right to abortion for any reason cannot be restricted until the point of viability. After viability, however, abortion must still be allowed if the procedure is needed to preserve the life or health of the mother.
Viability of Fetus
When is a fetus considered viable? Traditionally, 28 weeks gestation was considered the earliest point at which a fetus could live outside the womb. However, with the increased advances in technology, many medical professionals now consider the point of viability to be 24 weeks gestation.
State Laws
There are a number of states that consider third trimester abortions illegal, unless there are certain medical issues involved. Different states have different laws regarding third trimester abortion, so it is important to make sure you understand the legalities of the procedure in your state. For example, 10 states require a second physician to approve the procedure and nine states ask that a physician be present to treat the fetus in the event that he is born alive. You can learn more about the various state laws regarding late-term abortions by reviewing the PDF download available on the Guttmacher website.
How Are Third Trimester Abortions Performed?
There are two main ways a third trimester abortion can be performed:
Induction Abortion
An induction abortion may be performed when the fetus suffers from a severe abnormality that was not detected earlier in the pregnancy and would make it highly unlikely he would survive long after birth.
Dilation and Extraction
A dilation and extraction procedure (IDX or D&X), which is sometimes referred to as partial-birth abortion in pro-life literature, is most often used when the health of the mother is being threatened and she wishes to try to preserve her future fertility.
Questions and Concerns
If you have any questions about third trimester abortion, it is recommended that you speak with your doctor. He or she can address any further concerns.
