http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2011/06/13/4df6027266062More states continue to follow the lead set by Nebraska in banning abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy.
The Nebraska Legislature made history in 2010 when it adopted a so-called “fetal pain” standard for abortion. It banned the procedure after 20 weeks of gestation, based on the disputed assertion that a fetus can feel pain after that time.
Meanwhile, a study published this month by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reported abortion has been increasing among poor women in recent years, even though abortion procedures are otherwise trending lower.
Four states joined Nebraska in 2011 in adopting the 20-week standard.
The Alabama Legislature last week became the fifth state to pass such a law. It is awaiting action by the state’s Republican governor.
When Nebraska broke ground by enacting the law, there was speculation that it could lead to a court challenge that would bring the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider its 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade. That decision defined a woman’s right to an abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Neither the Nebraska law, nor those adopted in other states, have yet led to such a challenge.
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