Congress Introduces A National Abortion Ban On Its Very First Day Back

[Hekate]

61. "Legal limits" were written into Roe vs Wade from its inception.

The anti-choice movement has been very successful in promulgating a number of lies, among them the notion that there are are "no limits" on abortion.

There are, and they followed the social mores of millennia, rather than restrictions invented by men.

First trimester: no restrictions at all. In terms understood from previous centuries, that would be "restoration of the menses" or similar language. No business of men, strictly a woman's business.

Second trimester: increasing restrictions may be applied by the states. In previous centuries, this was considered the time of "quickening" when the fetus could first be felt to move. A woman would soon begin to "show." It has been known since the dawn of time that a miscarried fetus at this stage could not live, and so Roe used the terms viable and non-viable. Medically, it becomes more difficult for the doctor, as well.

Aside: the hopes of grieving parents and the advances of science have pushed the envelope of viability, but the chances of a good quality of life are still very iffy for micro-preemies. Still, this has given a new wedge for anti-choicers who want you to believe that a four to five month fetus is a Gerber Baby with chubby cheeks and a soccer team in its future.

Third trimesters: the most restrictions apply. The fetus now looks like a baby and has a good chance at life. Unless, of course, it doesn't. The number of late term abortions is vanishingly rare, and always involve some form of medical emergency. Babies do die in utero and must be extracted if the mother's body doesn't expel it on its own. Mothers have been known to die from pregnancy, and if their life can be saved, imo it should be. Some fetuses have deformities that are incompatible with life, such as anencephaly -- the brain is literally missing, and without the womb's life support system it dies within a week of birth. The surgery is difficult for doctors and dangerous for women.

As I say, the anti-choice movement has been very successful in promulgating certain lies.