What are the current abortion restrictions in NC, and how late can you get the procedure?
The United States Supreme Court announced the overturning of Roe v. Wade Friday morning, sparking much debate across the nation. The landmark court ruling established in 1973 had, up until now, granted access to legal abortions as a constitutional right.
“The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision,” the majority opinion stated in the Friday decision. “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start.”
The legality of abortions is now in the hands of states. At least 26 states are expected to place a swift ban on abortions and 13 of them already have automatic “trigger laws” in place, The Charlotte Observer reported.
North Carolina residents are left to wonder what the overruling of Roe v. Wade means for them. We examine the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision on the state.
Are there limits to abortion in North Carolina?
Abortion is still legal in North CarolinaNorth Carolina General Statutes Chapter 90North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 14-44. Restrictions on abortion in North Carolina include, but are not limited to:
- Required counseling before the procedure
- Mandatory ultrasound
- A ban on abortions performed after 20 weeks (exception for risk of mother’s life or health)
- Additionally, abortions are not covered by insurance for public employees or anyone who receives health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act. The only exception to this rule is if the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest or if the mother’s life or health is at risk.
Josh Stein, the North Carolina Attorney General, recently tweeted that women in the state still have legal access to safe abortions.
How late can you have an abortion in North Carolina?
Many states, including North Carolina, limit how much time a pregnant person has before access to abortion is revoked.
According to North Carolina law, the limit for women in the state is 20 weeks. The only exception to this is if the pregnancy has caused a substantial risk to the mother’s life or health.
Will there be access to Plan B?
People across the state still have legal access to Plan B, emergency contraception also known as “levonorgestrel” or “the morning-after pill.”
There is no direct mention of banning emergency contraception by the Supreme Court in their Friday decision, but according to USA Today, the decision could call into question the constitutionality of contraception, both emergency and non-emergency, in the future.
This story was originally published June 24, 2022 at 2:01 PM.
