How long will you have to wait for an abortion in 2016?

Updated on April 21, 2015

At the moment, North Carolina and Oklahoma are both trying to create 72 hour in person waiting periods for an abortion - although not necessarily face to face with two trips to the doctor's office. If they pass, that would make them states four and five in the country requiring a three day wait. But they aren't the only ones lengthening waiting periods, in many cases requiring two trips to the doctor or extending how far apart those trips need to be.

Based on the information from Guttmacher and the currently pending bills, I've created a map that shows what abortion wait periods will be like in 2016 if all the bills in the legislature pass. The focus is on those that require two trips into a clinic, since that is a far greater burden on a patient. Purple states require two trips to a clinic 72 hours apart, green states require two trips 48 hours apart, and blue states require two trips 24 hours apart. Tennessee's bill, which is heading to the governor for signature, requires 48 hours but would reduce that wait to 24 if the law is challenged in court.

"These Alabama protesters became a gateway for women’s access to abortion - and more" - Contributoria

"Pregnancy prevention isn’t only an on-paper project for the group, but one they embrace in real life crisis situations as well. One ARRA member recounted a time when the group helped a mother of four obtain emergency contraception after she and her husband had unprotected sex. The woman had already had many difficult pregnancies and wasn’t sure if her health could withstand another, but when she approached her husband about her taking the morning-after pill to be completely certain, he said that if she got pregnant, obviously it was meant to be.

His complete control over the family finances made it impossible for her to purchase the medicine, which, while sold over the counter, often costs $40-$50 for a dose, without him noticing the expense. ARRA stepped in and paid for the drugs from its own fund, just as it has financially assisted dozens of women struggling to finance their own healthcare needs." - read the rest at Contributoria.