As of August 29, 2023
State Laws and Policies

State Bans on Abortion Throughout Pregnancy

Background

Background

On June 24, 2022, the US Supreme Court overturned abortion rights. We are updating this fact sheet as states implement and enforce abortion bans.

Definitions

Last menstrual period (LMP): The beginning of pregnancy calculated from the start of the most recent menstrual period. An average pregnancy lasts approximately 40 weeks from this point.

Postfertilization: The beginning of pregnancy calculated from the date of conception; 20 weeks postfertilization is equivalent to 22 weeks LMP.

Postimplantation: The beginning of pregnancy calculated from the date of embryo implantation; 24 weeks postimplantation is equivalent to 27 weeks LMP.

General health: Defined by an individual doctor and includes the patient’s mental and emotional health.

Physical health: Applies only to the physical function of the patient’s body and may even be restricted to major bodily functions.

Viability: The point at which a fetus can sustain survival outside the uterus. Determined based on the fetus’s developmental progress and may vary by pregnancy. A fetus generally reaches viability between 24 and 28 weeks LMP.

Visit our state legislation tracker for policy activity on all sexual and reproductive health topics.

Highlights

  • 43 states prohibit some abortions after a certain point in pregnancy.
    • 14 states ban abortion.
    • 2 state bans abortion at six weeks LMP.
    • 2 states ban abortion at 12 weeks LMP.
    • 2 states ban abortion at 15 weeks LMP.
    • 1 state bans abortion at 18 weeks LMP.
    • 4 states ban abortion at 22 weeks LMP (20 weeks postfertilization in state law) on the unscientific grounds that a fetus can feel pain at that point. (Note that abortion is unavailable in one of these states because providers have been forced to stop offering abortion care.)
    • 4 states ban abortion at 24 weeks LMP.
    • 12 states impose a ban at viability.
    • 1 state imposes a ban in the third trimester (beginning at 25 weeks LMP).

For more information

Topic

United States

Geography

Related Content

State Bans on Abortion Throughout Pregnancy

Statutory limit

State

Exceptions

Life

General
health

Physical
health§

Other

Conception

Alabama

X

 

X

 

 

Arkansas

X

 

 

 
  IdahoΩ X   X Rape, incest
  Indiana X   X Rape, incest (during first 10 weeks), lethal fetal anomaly (before 20 weeks or viability, whichever is earlier)

 

Kentucky

X

 

X

 
  Louisiana X   X Lethal fetal anomaly

 

Mississippi

X

 

 

Rape 

 

Missouri

X

 

X

 
  North DakotaƟ, Ω X   X

Rape and incest (before 6 weeks)

 

Oklahoma

X

 

 

 

 

South Dakota

X

 

 

 
  Tennessee X   X  

 

Texas

X

 

 

 
  West Virginia X   X Rape,z incest,z lethal fetal anomaly
  WyomingΩ ▽   ▽

Rape, incest, lethal fetal anomaly

TOTAL IN EFFECT

14

14

 

9

6

6 weeks LMP

 Georgia X   X

Rape (before 20 weeks), incest (before 20 weeks), lethal fetal anomaly

 

Iowa

▼

 

▼

 

 

Kentucky

▽

 

▽

 
  Louisiana ▽   ▽  

 

North Dakota

▼

 

▼

 

 

Oklahomaλ

▼

 

▼

 
  South Carolina X   X Rape (before 12 weeks), incest (before 12 weeks), lethal fetal anomaly

TOTAL IN EFFECT

 2 2   2 2

8 weeks LMP

Missouri

▽

 

▽

 

TOTAL IN EFFECT

0

0

 

0

0 

12 weeks LMP

Arkansas

▼

 

▼

 

 

Nebraska

X

 

X

Rape, incest

 

North Carolina

X

 

X

Rape and incest (through 20 weeks), fatal fetal anomaly (through 24 weeks)

TOTAL IN EFFECT

2

2

 

2

2
15 weeks LMP Arizona X   X  
  Florida X   X Lethal fetal anomaly

 

Louisiana

▼

 

▼

 

 

Mississippi

▼

 

▼

 

TOTAL IN EFFECT

2

2

 

2

 1

18 weeks LMP

Arkansas

▽

 

▽

 

 

Utah

X

 

X

Rape, incest, lethal fetal anomaly

TOTAL IN EFFECT

1

1

 

1

1

20 weeks LMP

Arizona

▼

 

▼

 

 

Montana

▽

 

▽

 

TOTAL IN EFFECT

0

0

 

0

0
 22 weeks LMP Idaho‡ ▼   ▼  

 

Iowa*

X

 

X

 

 

Kansas*,‡

X

 

X

 
  Ohio*,†,‡ X   X  

 

Wisconsin*,Ɵ

X

 

 

 

TOTAL IN EFFECT

4

4

 

3

0

 24 weeks LMP

Nevada

X

X

 

 

 

Massachusettsβ

X

X

 

Lethal fetal anomaly 

 

New Hampshire

X

 

X

 

 

Pennsylvania†,‡

X

 

X

 

TOTAL IN EFFECT

4

4

2

2

1

 Viability

California

X

X

 

 

 

Connecticut

X

X

 

 

 

Delaware‡

X

X

 

Lethal fetal anomaly

 

Hawaii

X

X

 

 

 

Illinois

X

X

 

 

 

Maine

X

X

 

 

 

Maryland

X

X

 

Fetal anomaly

 

Michigan

X

 

 

 

 

Montana‡

X

 

Xδ

 

 

New York

X

X

 

 

 

Rhode Island

X

X

 

 

 

Washington

X

X

 

 

TOTAL IN EFFECT

12

12

10

1

2

Third trimester

Virginia‡

X

X

 

 

TOTAL IN EFFECT

1

1

1

0

0

▼  Permanently enjoined by court order; law not in effect.

▽  Temporarily enjoined by court order; law not in effect.

§  This exception typically permits an abortion when the individual suffers from a condition that risks “substantial and irreversible impairment” or “imminent peril” of a “major bodily function.”

z  The rape and incest exceptions apply up to eight weeks of pregnancy for adults and up to 14 weeks for minors.

*  State’s restriction is based on the assertion that a fetus can feel pain at 18 or 20 weeks postfertilization.

†  State requires a second physician to attend an abortion that takes place after the state’s gestational age limit.

‡  State requires a second physician to approve an abortion if it will take place after the state’s gestational age limit. Kansas requires approval only for an abortion after viability.

Ɵ  The one clinic in North Dakota has moved to another state. In Wisconsin, due to legal uncertainty around the status of the state's pre-Roe ban, providers have been forced to stop offering abortion care.

β  State law defines pregnancy from the date of embryo implantation.

Ω  Definition of abortion procedures banned under state law does not include medical interventions to protect the life or health of a fetus, manage a miscarriage or treat an ectopic pregnancy.

λ  Oklahoma’s six-week abortion ban was superseded by a total ban.

δ  A restriction on exceptions after viability has been temporarily blocked by a district court in Montana.