Op-Ed: Abortion Ban ‘Exceptions’ Cannot Protect Life

The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade has already set into motion legal processes to criminalize abortion in at least 15 states, with immediate and catastrophic health consequences for pregnant people.

Antiabortion lawmakers argue that the “exceptions” written into many of these laws — most commonly permitting abortion to save the life of the pregnant person or to prevent a severe health risk — will keep women safe. In reality, these exceptions fail to ensure access to necessary medical care and the policies will ultimately increase pregnancy complications, illness and death.