On Thursday night the first 2024 Presidential debate hit our screens. In the first few minutes of the debate, the candidates were asked about Roe, and a woman’s right to abortion. Trump attacked democrats who supported Roe, claiming, “They will take the life of a child in the eighth month, the ninth month and even after birth.” We are here to unpack wtf he meant and dive into the realities of late term abortion. 

First, some context. Roe v Wade was the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the US. “In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Roe v. Wade recognized that the decision whether to continue or end a pregnancy belongs to the individual, not the government.” Roe allowed for abortions up to the point of viability, which is around 24 weeks of pregnancy. After 24 weeks, states were able to regulate, or prevent, abortions- except when the mother’s life was in danger. 

And what about late term abortions? Late term abortions occur after viability, which happens between 21-24 weeks of pregnancy. They’re highly debated and often completely misrepresented. Most commonly, late-term abortions are granted when the mother's health, or even her life, is at serious risk. This includes conditions like severe preeclampsia, placental abruption, or cardiac or renal disease. Additionally, they may occur when the baby is not able to survive outside of the womb. A doctor who spoke with Politifact shared about a late term abortion situation where parents made a decision to abort a baby who didn’t develop a brain and wouldn’t be able to survive after birth. 

Some quick facts: Around 94% of abortions in the US occur in the first trimester. Less than 1% take place after 21 weeks. Far less than 1% occur in the third trimester.

Let’s make this very clear- Roe v. Wade did not allow for killing babies after birth. Roe only legalized abortion, which is the termination of a pregnancy before birth. Killing a baby after birth is called infanticide, and it is illegal everywhere in the US. In his statement, Trump intentionally conflated abortion (a legal medical procedure) with infanticide (illegal act of killing a baby). Safe, legal abortion does not kill babies, but saves women’s lives. Trump’s extreme interpretation of abortion rights feels like a gross way of riling up support of his pro-life base. 

Whether abortion is legal or illegal, people will still need, seek out, and access it. Every year a quarter of pregnancies end in abortion. When abortion is illegal and unregulated, it becomes dangerous and even deadly. It is the number one cause of maternal mortality. No one in their right mind supports the killing of babies. What the pro-choice movement does support is a woman’s right to bodily autonomy, to health, to making the best decision for herself. 

And one last reminder – abortion saves lives.