Abortion in South Carolina is legal up to when embryonic cardiac-cell activity can be detected, usually around 6 weeks from the woman's last menstrual period, when many women are not yet aware that they are pregnant.[1] On May 25, 2023, Governor Henry McMaster signed a 6-week ban, and it took effect immediately.[2] The ban was indefinitely blocked in court on May 26,[3] and reinstated by the South Carolina Supreme Court on August 23.[4]
In January 2023, the South Carolina Supreme Court had struck down a similar existing law as violating the state's privacy clause under Article 1, Section 10 of the South Carolina Constitution.[5][6] Passed in 2021, that law had criminalized abortion once embryonic cardiac activity is detectable, which is around five or six weeks after the first day of the woman’s last menstrual period.[7]
The number of abortion clinics in South Carolina has fluctuated over the years, with fifteen in 1982, eighteen in 1992 and three in 2014. There were 5,714 legal abortions in 2014, and 5,778 in 2015.
53% of South Carolina adults said in a poll that they support "a woman’s right to choose to have a safe and legal abortion," while 37% did not support it.[8]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
sixwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Pollard, James (2023-05-25). "South Carolina Governor Signs New Abortion Ban Into Law". HuffPost. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
- ^ El-Bawab, Nadine (2023-05-26). "Judge grants injunction, allows abortions to resume in South Carolina". ABC News. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
- ^ Pollard, James (23 August 2023). "South Carolina's new all-male highest court reverses course on abortion, upholding strict 6-week ban". The Boston Globe. The Associated Press. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ Pollard, James (January 5, 2023). "South Carolina Supreme Court strikes down state abortion ban". Associated Press.
- ^ Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, et al. v. State of South Carolina, et al.
- ^ Rabin, Roni Caryn (14 Feb 2022). "Abortion Opponents Hear a 'Heartbeat.' Most Experts Hear Something Else". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ Schneier, Elena (May 25, 2022). "South Carolina Democrat seeks to make abortion key issue in governor's race". Politico. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
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