Some Republican lawmakers in Lansing want to shorten the time period when a pregnant woman can get an abortion. A bill in the Senate would make it a felony to perform abortions after 20 weeks of the probable conception.
Many healthcare professionals use a different timeline for determining the “age” of a fetus. They start counting from the time of the woman’s last menstrual period. Using that metric, the bill would actually ban abortions at around 22 weeks.
Republican Senator Curtis VanderWall is a bill sponsor. He says the bills do contain an exception:
“If the mother’s life is in jeopardy and the doctors and her come to a consensus it’s the best decision to be made for the life of the mother that child can be taken.”
Opponents say the exception for a "medical emergency" is too vague. And they say the legislation would impede a doctor’s ability to do what’s best for their patient.
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—Cheyna Roth is a reporter for the Michigan Public Radio network. Contact WEMU News at 734.487.3363 or email us at studio@wemu.org
