Since the end of Roe v. Wade, thousands of women have sought abortion treatment in Florida. Many of them will no longer have that option.
Since the end of Roe v. Wade, thousands of women have flocked to Florida to seek abortion care. For some of them, that will no longer be an option. Since the end of Roe v. Wade, thousands of women have flocked to Florida for abortion care. For some of them, that will no longer be an option.
Since the end of Roe v. Wade, thousands of women have sought abortion treatment in Florida. Many of them will no longer have that option.
LOADINGERROR LOADING. Florida is just hours away from its six-week abortion ban going into effect, largely cutting off abortion as an option for the thousands of patients who’ve traveled to the state for reproductive care following the fall of Roe v. Wade in 2022.. Starting Wednesday, patients in Florida, one of the country’s most populous states, will no longer have until the 15th week of pregnancy to access the procedure.. Advertisement. When the ban takes effect, nearly every Southern state will have outlawed abortion or made it inaccessible after six weeks since the first day of the last menstrual period ― a window of time when many don’t yet know they’re pregnant. Florida’s geographical isolation means many patients there will have to cross multiple state lines to get an abortion, and residents in neighboring states will often have to travel farther, too.. Virginia, the closest state to Florida with no gestational limits on abortion, takes anywhere from nine to 14 hours to drive to from the Sunshine State.. Protesters rally earlier this month in Orlando, Florida. The state’s new six-week ban on abortion will take effect Wednesday.. Joe Raedle/Getty Images. So far this year, more than 1,300 of the nearly 15,000 abortions performed in Florida (about 8%) were for patients who came from out of state, according to the state’s Agency for Health Care Administration. That percentage was about the same as for all of 2023, the year after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade with its decision upholding a 15-week ban in Mississippi.. Advertisement. When the Florida Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that the state constitution does not protect abortion care, greenlighting the six-week ban that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a year ago, abortion rights advocates emphasized what a massive effect it would have on health care.. “This is the largest single loss of care that we’ve seen since the overturn of Roe v. Wade,” Lauren Brenzel, the campaign director for Floridians Protecting Freedom, said at a news conference earlier this month. “What we know is that Florida is a state that is mostly surrounded by water, and where it’s not surrounded by water, it’s surrounded by states that already have total or near-total bans ― meaning that even for patients who need to access medically necessary abortion, the road to do so will be hard.”. Floridians Protecting Freedom is the group behind a pro-choice amendment set to appear on the state’s ballot in November. If passed, the right to an abortion would be protected up until fetal viability, which is usually at about 24 weeks.. But for now, Floridians will be stuck with the six-week ban. Florida abortion providers have been racing against the clock to provide care before the ban begins Wednesday. The Orlando Sentinel reported last week that abortion clinics were expanding their hours and adding appointment slots in the final days of the 15-week ban.. “Planned Parenthood’s motto has always been ‘care no matter what.’ And we don’t turn patients away,” Barbara Zdravecky, interim CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, told the Sentinel. “So this is a very devastating and tragic situation for our staff, who have to say, ‘we can’t take care of you, we have to send you someplace else.’”. Advertisement. Support HuffPost. Our 2024 Coverage Needs You. Your Loyalty Means The World To Us. At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.. Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.. Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.. Can’t afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.. As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That’s why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.. Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we’ll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can’t find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.. Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.. Can’t afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.. Dear HuffPost Reader. Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.. The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?. Dear HuffPost Reader. Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.. The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.. Support HuffPost. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.. Related. Floridaabortion rightssix week abortion ban. A Year After Roe’s Demise, The Abortion Migration Strains Remaining Clinics. Why Some Abortion Rights Groups Aren’t Backing Pro-Choice Amendments. Anti-Abortion Extremist Will Be On The Presidential Ballot In 12 States
