Florida has implemented a ban on most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, which has sparked concerns among doctors about women losing access to essential healthcare services in the state.
Vice President Kamala Harris visited Jacksonville on the day the ban took effect, attributing it to former President Donald Trump’s appointments to the Supreme Court. Harris criticized laws across the country that criminalize doctors and restrict reproductive care, including those without exceptions for cases of rape or incest.
Dr. Leah Roberts, a specialist in reproductive endocrinology and fertility, expressed frustration with the vague nature of anti-abortion laws passed in Florida and other conservative states.
Dr. Leah Roberts talks about six-week abortion (Via Marshall Lucas/Shutterstock)
She highlighted the impact on women needing abortions for medical reasons, including cases where continuing a nonviable pregnancy could endanger their lives or fertility.
Although the new law includes exceptions for life-threatening situations, rape, and incest, Roberts emphasized that healthcare providers are still constrained from intervening in cases where nonviable pregnancies pose serious risks before they reach a critical stage.
“We’re being told we must delay intervention until the mother’s condition becomes life-threatening,” Roberts explained.
