Why some Arizona women leave the state for abortion care
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About 15% of Arizona women who have called the National Abortion Hotline since the 2022 Dobbs decision have had to leave Arizona to get the care they needed, according to the National Abortion Federation.
The big picture: Since Dobbs, abortion has mostly been legal in Arizona up to 15 weeks of pregnancy, but there are still women who need care beyond that point, National Abortion Federation president and CEO Brittany Fonteno told Axios.
- She said the reasons women need care later in pregnancy vary, but include not realizing a pregnancy until after the first trimester, not being able to secure an appointment before the 15-week limit and learning of an issue that will not allow them to carry a healthy pregnancy to term.
What they're saying: "While the majority of abortions take place in the first trimester, there is still a need for care after 15 weeks. Rather than trying to stigmatize this care we should be supporting people in making their own decisions about their health care," Fonteno said.
State of play: Voters will weigh Prop. 139 next month, which would enshrine the right to abortion in the Arizona constitution and allow the procedure until fetal viability, or about 24 weeks.
- Fonteno said this would be a welcome step, but "we can't forget that people do need care later in pregnancy so there will need to be continued work ."
The other side: Cindy Dahlgren, a spokesperson for the "It Goes Too Far" campaign opposing Prop. 139, told Axios the current law allows abortions after 15 weeks only if the mother is at risk of a serious health complication.
- She also noted that Arizona law specifies that terminating an ectopic pregnancy and removing a fetus that has died is not considered abortion and can be performed at any time.
- "This is really just another attempt to mislead voters, scare them into thinking that they need some kind of draconian amendment just to get basic care and that's just not true," she said.