Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed a new law on Monday that allows doctors to have the final say on whether late-term abortions are permissible. This development positions Massachusetts as the tenth state to permit abortions at any stage of pregnancy.
The Prioritizing Patient Access to Care Act replaces the previous law regarding abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy. Under the former regulations, abortions could occur after this period only under specific circumstances. These included a doctor’s determination that the procedure was necessary to safeguard the life, physical health, or mental health of the patient, or due to a fatal fetal condition. The newly enacted law eliminates these specific conditions and permits abortions solely based on the physician’s professional judgment.
Governor Healey stated, “I’ve heard heartbreaking stories from women and families who were preparing to welcome a healthy baby into their family, only to receive devastating news later in their pregnancy. Instead of being able to rely on the doctors they knew and trusted at home, they were forced to travel hundreds of miles and pay out of their pockets while navigating unimaginable grief.” She emphasized that such situations should not occur in Massachusetts, adding, “This law continues our efforts to have the strongest abortion protections in the country because in Massachusetts, we believe health care decisions should be made between women and their doctors.”
With this legislation, Massachusetts joins nine other states and Washington, D.C., that place no gestational limit on abortion, according to the research organization KFF. The other states include Alaska, Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont.
Further updates on this developing story are expected.
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