What does the abortion ban mean for South Carolina?
by Kelli R. Parker on Sep 1, 2023
It’s been one week since the South Carolina Supreme Court upheld a law that bans abortion after “cardiac activity” can be detected by an ultrasound, with limited exceptions.
In some cases, the so-called “heartbeat” can be heard starting at roughly the sixth week of pregnancy, which is why the law has consistently been called a six-week ban. Regardless of the wording, restricting access at six weeks is effectively a total abortion ban in South Carolina. There are only four exceptions: for rape up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, for incest up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, in cases of fatal fetal anomaly, and in cases protecting the mother’s life.
Medical professionals and research data overwhelmingly show that the average person doesn’t even know they’re pregnant until the fifth or sixth week of pregnancy. This law leaves pregnant people with almost no time to make decisions that affect their health and their family’s future. As Dr. N. Dawn Bingham said in a recent editorial for The Post and Courier :
“… a pregnant person would have to have a perfect 28-day menstrual cycle, 12 months a year, a constant supply of pregnancy tests and unrestricted access to health care in order to obtain an abortion in this two-week timeline; anyone who menstruates knows how ludicrous this is.”
Until last week, the state’s 20-week abortion law was in place, allowing providers in South Carolina to provide critical abortion care for those across the Southeast while neighboring states continue to restrict access in a post-Roe era. The law is effective immediately and impacts all people who can get pregnant across the state and the region.
Currently, the closest out-of-state options are clinics in North Carolina, where it’s legal through 12 weeks but two in-person visits are required; Florida, where it’s banned at 15 weeks; and Virginia, where it remains legal through the second trimester. The downside, however, is that with so many people now seeking services outside of the South, wait times across the country to get an appointment may make these options unavailable. This interactive map has policy information and explains each state’s restrictions and requirements.
The barely-there silver lining in all of this is that self-managed abortions are no longer a crime in our state. That does not mean that police and prosecutors won’t misuse other laws to target and punish people for how their pregnancies end. We all know that criminalization happens despite what the actual laws say. The Repro Legal Helpline offers a free, confidential service where you can get information about your legal rights.
Emergency contraception (EC), taken after sex to prevent pregnancy, is still legal and can be purchased from the drugstore without a prescription if you are 17 or older (with a prescription if you are under 17) or for low or no-cost at a family planning clinic. While pills like Plan B® lower your risk of pregnancy by 75 to 88%, — and up to 95% if taken within 24 hours of unprotected sex — it will not harm a fetus or end a pregnancy. The longer a person waits to take EC the less effective it is.
What can we do?
Of course, we are sad and angry that the country’s only all-male state Supreme Court upheld a law that ultimately harms all South Carolinians. This devastating court decision and the new law strips all people of the basic human right of bodily autonomy.
WREN and our growing network of peers, partners, and supporters will absolutely continue this fight to protect reproductive healthcare. You can help.
- Register to vote, vote in every election (even the “small” local ones) and encourage your family, friends, and neighbors to do the same. The folks who make these types of laws are elected by the people and they MUST be held accountable for the damage they’re doing to our communities.
- Contact your representatives by mail, on the phone, through email, and on social media. Make your voice heard. Want to know how your Legislators voted on this new law? (I need to make a link on the site for this)
- Donate to abortion funds that help people in need. Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, these funds are being rapidly depleted. The need is increasing, but the amount of support that’s coming in has not kept pace. The Carolina Abortion Fund and the Palmetto State Abortion Fund both benefit The Carolinas. The National Network of Abortion Funds has nearly 100 member funds, which also raise money independently.
- Get involved in organizations that support access to essential reproductive healthcare like WREN, All Above All, and Planned Parenthood. Attend organized events and volunteer to canvass, write letters, or make phone calls.
If you are pregnant and have concerns, don’t wait. Call your doctor right away to ask for options and resources. We have constantly updated information on how to quickly get the help and care you need. https://www.scwren.org/abortion-access-resources/