Doctors, Choice Advocate Push Back Against Proposed 20-Week Abortion Ban

As authors of a 20-week abortion ban seek supporters for their bill, opponents are speaking out.

Gov. Scott Walker has already indicated he’d sign legislation banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy if it reaches his desk. The bill’s authors contend a fetus can feel pain at that stage of development. A University of Wisconsin doctor who was past president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists disagrees. Dr. Doug Laube spoke during a Planned Parenthood teleconference.

“The scientific community generally agrees that fetal pain capability may be neurologically possible at 26 to 28 weeks, but not at 20 weeks of gestational age,” said Laube.

Ginger Thew described how she terminated a pregnancy after an ultrasound showed a cyst inside the skull of the fetus.

“I’ve never been pro-choice or pro-life until I sat in a doctor’s office and was told I didn’t have a choice,” Thew said.

The bill’s Assembly author, Rep. Jesse Kremer, said the 20-week abortion ban would not make an exception for cases like that. But he says the bill will include “perinatal hospice”

“It’s assistance for the family whether it be psychologists, doctors or clergy from the time the diagnosis is made, through the pregnancy, through the probable death of the child and even postpartum,” Kremer said.

About 1 percent of abortions occur after 20 weeks. State health records indicate there were 85 pregnancies terminated at this stage in 2013.

Under the bill, abortions would be banned after 20 weeks except in the case of a medical emergency. There would be no exception for rape or incest.

Correction: The original version of this story quoted Rep. Jesse Kremer as saying his bill would include “prenatal hospice.” He actually said his bill would include “perinatal hospice.”